Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee made a surprising decision in Tuesday night’s 116-115 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, benching star guard LaMelo Ball with just over three and a half minutes left in the game. The move came during the team's second NBA Cup matchup and raised questions about the rationale behind sidelining one of the league's most productive fourth-quarter players.
The benching occurred shortly after Ball missed a layup and committed a frustration foul. When asked about the decision postgame, Lee provided insight into his reasoning.
“Melo has been phenomenal for us and he's done so many good things.