LaMelo Ball is one of the most exciting young players in the league, in part because of his supreme confidence in his own abilities. On Sunday against the LA Clippers though, that backfired on him a bit.
Clippers forward Justise Winslow blocked Ball’s shot during the first half and stared Ball down a bit.
🗣 BLOCKED BY WINSLOW
📺 @BallySportWest | @IAmJustise pic.twitter.com/pxtnMuyELH
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 30, 2022
After the game, Winslow said that Ball was talking some trash to him following the block.
“He kinda was just like, ‘Don’t poke the bear,'” said Winslow, per Mirjam Swanson of Southern California News Group. “Melo was like, ‘I’ll go get ten in a row.’ And I was like, ‘Go do it then.'”
Winslow’s block came at the 6:16 mark of the second quarter. Ball then went scoreless for the rest of the period, going 0-for-2 from the field. Ball did go on to score 14 points in the second half. But most of those points came with Winslow on the bench. The Clippers ended up winning in a 115-90 blowout.
Winslow did add in his postgame comments that he had “a lot of respect” for Ball. But it looks like he got the better of the young Hornets star on Sunday.
Ball is an excellent player who is averaging 19.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game this year. He is the unquestioned leader of the Hornets and is putting up even better numbers than he did last season when he won Rookie of the Year. Ball’s confidence is also a major part of his success. But sometimes, that confidence can go south on Ball like we saw on Sunday and like we have also seen before that.
Photo: Jan 8, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (2) reacts after making a three point basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second period at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
