Game recognize game.
When the Charlotte Hornets tipped of their Monday afternoon contest against the Dallas Mavericks, the NBA world was treated to a first-class point guard duel between LaMelo Ball and Kyrie Irving. The matchup lived up to its pregame buzz.
Ball came out of the gates hot, dicing up the Dallas defense with 20 first half points on an efficient 13 shots. His torrid pace slowed in the second half which set the stage for a vintage Kyrie stretch in the tight fourth quarter. Irving finished with 33 points on his usual array of crafty finishes and long-range hits, but LaMelo and company got the last laugh as the Hornets exited the court victorious, notching their third straight win.