Playing the best basketball of his career, Lonzo Ball was locked in to start the season.
It even looks like the guard is bringing a bit of extra momentum to the much-anticipated showdown with little brother LaMelo.
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As our own Kyle Irving wrote yesterday, the initial titles in the previous two meetings went to LaMelo even though their teams split the game.
In the third game between the brothers in the NBA, the Bulls held off the nasty Hornets to win 133-119. Lonzo finished the night with 16 points and eight assists, while LaMelo had 18 points and 13 assists.
In front of a rowdy Chicago crowd enjoying the revival of the Bulls franchise, LaMelo heard chants of “Lonzo’s better” late in the game while at the free-throw line, adding to the atmosphere. fun around the match.
In an entertaining first half, only the officials stand in the way of the brothers’ battle.
Lonzo will be forced out of the game near halftime after his third foul, with two of them in quick succession with suspicious calls while defending LaMelo.
He had the upper hand in this game, however, LaMelo’s shot shot out of the glass, causing a conversion for Javonte Green
Throughout the night, the two would continue to attack each other with dribbles, with LaMelo having his moments including tying Lonzo in this shot to the basket.
And hit this back jumper.
On this occasion, the couple got back together three times over.
Dragged to 23 points in the second half, the Hornets climbed all the way back within four points before the Bulls closed the game in extended time, with Lonzo drilling a triple with about a minute left. to freeze the game.
LaMelo showed signs of frustration late in the game, committing a technical foul for slapping the floor after failing to hear the whistle during a shot. As they have done hundreds of times in the past, the brothers are seen late in the game discussing whether or not Lonzo’s physical defense is legit. On this occasion, the eldest brother was the winner.
The good news is that we’ll have two more regular-season games between the pair, with the Bulls and Hornets set to take place in February and April.
