LaMelo Ball Stats Tonight: How did Hornets star fare against the Grizzlies? (Jan. 22)

LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets entered Wednesday's game on the back of three consecutive wins. The Hornets were suddenly playing well despite Brandon Miller's injury, getting wins over the Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls and Dallas Mavericks. But how did Ball perform against the Memphis Grizzlies?

The one-time All-Star finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists, but the Hornets fell to the Grizzlies 132-120. He had a rough shooting night, going 7-for-20 from the field. They were down by as much as 30 points before coming alive in the second half, but it was too late.

Mark Williams had a career night for Charlotte with 38 points and nine rebounds, while Miles Bridges had 17 points, five rebounds and six assists. Desmond Bane led the way for Memphis, scoring 24 points. Luke Kennard was huge off the bench with 22 points, while Ja Morant dropped 16 points, 13 assists and three steals.

Here are LaMelo Ball's stats for the game:

Players	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	+/-
LaMelo Ball	22	8	6	0	0	2	4	34:13	7-20	2-6	6-6	-9

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How did LaMelo Ball perform tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies?

LaMelo Ball started the game along with Nick Smith Jr., Josh Green, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams. He scored his first two points two minutes into the game, which was a reverse layup coming from an assist by Williams. He added two more in the next possession with a floater.

The former Rookie of the Year finished the first quarter with just four points before adding six in the next period. He struggled with his shot as the Grizzlies dominated from the start to build a 78-48 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, LaMelo Ball only had two points, but the rest of his teammates stepped up. The Charlotte Hornets slowly trimmed the lead, but they put themselves in a hole too deep.

Ball came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 points before the team waved the white flag. It was an uninspiring performance for the visitors, with Mark Williams as the only positive due to how great he was against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The loss snapped the Hornets' three-game winning streak as they came back to earth crashing. They now have a record of 11-29, which is the fourth-worst record in the NBA.

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What's next for LaMelo Ball and the Hornets?

The Charlotte Hornets have a big opportunity to get back on the winning track with an upcoming nine-game homestand. LaMelo Ball and company can use this to create chemistry that would help them gain momentum heading into the All-Star break.

It's not an easy task considering they are facing some of the top teams in the league, including the LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and San Antonio Spurs. They are also welcoming teams below .500 such as the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards.