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Anybody who has watched the Charlotte Hornets play this season has likely observed the strides of improvement in LaMelo Ball’s game.
Despite fighting through injuries for a significant portion of the season, Ball averaged a career-high 25.2 points per game while also dishing out 7.4 assists and bringing down 4.9 rebounds per game.
While his improvements have not directly translated to the win/loss column, his teammates have taken notice of his effort and resilience throughout such a tough season.
According to fellow Hornet Miles Bridges, Ball is more concerned about eventually achieving success as a team instead of racking up individual accolades.
“He wants to see his team succeed more than himself,” Bridges told voice of the Hornets Sam Farber in a recent interview. “If somebody is hot, he’s going to give him the ball and keep going to him.”
“He (LaMelo) wants to see his team succeed more than himself” pic.twitter.com/yKhUXW6a1X
— MeloHive (@Meloleague) April 4, 2025
While he is often touted for his abilities as a scorer, his skills as an overall playmaker and floor general are what give him the potential to be so successful. Through four seasons in the NBA, Ball has never averaged less than six assists per game.
Throughout their time in Charlotte, the two have formed a noticeably strong connection, both on and off the court. However, the two both battled injuries this season, and were often not active at the same time.
“Whenever we play with each other we always have a good connection. I learn more about his game every day,” said Bridges. “So it's kind of weird when I'm not playing with Melo, because we know each other so well.”
This season, Bridges is averaging 20.6 points per game, hovering around his career high of 21.0 points per game.
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Knee operation: Kirby Dach not yet back on his feet
Two years ago to the day, Canadiens fans were optimistic about Kirby Dach’s future in Montreal: the 6’4 forward had just collected 38 points in 58 games – in his first campaign in Quebec – and many wondered whether Dach had a better chance of establishing himself as a first NHL center than captain Nick Suzuki. The past 730 days have proven otherwise, but that’s not the point this morning. Since joining the Canadiens, Dach has earned a reputation as a fragile player. Virus, shoulder, upper body (concussion?), lower body, knee(ACL and MCL), knee again… Let’s just say that injuries haven’t spared Dach since he arrived in Montreal. In fact, injuries haven’t spared Dach since he started playing hockey. He has never played more than 70 games in a single season, and has only broken the 60-game barrier three times in nine junior or pro seasons. Last February, Dach underwent a second operation on his right knee in the space of 18 months. Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes may tell us that Kirby Dach is fine,but we still have our doubts. Especially whenyou consider that, with the Canadiens’ recent additions and departures, Kirby Dach is still the team’s second center on the organizational chart. content-ads]Last week, I wondered where Kirby was ? We’ve seen plenty of Habs players skating at the CN Complex this summer, but not Kirby Dach. And I had to work like a monk to catch a glimpse of him in a video filmed at Nick Suzuki’s wedding! Yesterday, I was told that Kirby Dach was spending the summer in Edmonton with Kaiden Guhle – Dach is from Saskatchewan and Guhle is from Alberta – and that Dach was still in rehab. I repeat: five months after his most recent knee operation and some 40 days before the start of practice camp, Kirby Dach is still not recovered and ready to play. Good informants spotted him in an Edmonton gym doing squats with loads that look like the ones I used to take when I went to Econofitness, not the ones an NHL player uses [content-ads]This explains it: when he came to Montreal for his captain’s wedding, Kirby Dach couldn’t – or wouldn’t – skate with his teammates in Brossard. It’s worth noting that Dach is also very quiet on social networks – his last post was in November 2024 – probably in an effort to be forgotten… to go unnoticed. Spending the summer in Alberta, rather than in Montreal (with his chums at Osheaga), makes sense, when you think about it…Let’s just say that the chances of Dach starting his season at the same time as everyone else in two months’ time are pretty slim, which is cause for concern for those hoping to see the Canadiens in the playoffs in 2026. Yes, the Kirby Dach problem would be solved if a guy like Mason MacTavish-good offensively, defensively, physically and in the face-off circle-came to Montreal, but let’s just say that the odds of that happening this summer are very low. And you can’t make plans with very improbable things![spacer title=’Prolongation’]Matthew Tkachuk, who was injured last winter while throwing down the gloves at the 4 Nations tournament, underwent surgery last month (hernia and adductor). According to the latest information from Elliotte Friedman, Tkachuk could return to action just before the Olympic Games. Let’s hope Kirby Dach doesn’t have to wait as long as Tkachuk.
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Steelers Trade Package for Micah Parsons Predicted
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