Even in defeat, the Charlotte Hornets still had one positive takeaway from Wednesday nights 132-120 loss the Memphis Grizzlies. Hornets center Mark Williams delivered a great performance on the night,

Mark Williams scored a career high 38 points as the Charlotte Hornets couldn't overcome a poor first half in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, 132-120.

His sophomore season offered a glimpse of what could be. Earning a starting role, playing in 19 of Charlotte’s first 20 contests, the big man played 26.7 minutes per game, averaging, 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks. Unfortunately, a back contusion ended his season, putting him on the shelf for the final 62 games of the 2023-24 campaign.

Fitting in with the Grizzlies in general has not been a problem though. The only headaches are the type every organization expects with a new face at the facilities. Finding the right spots on the court has been more of an adjustment than joining a new team with an unfamiliar playbook.

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Desmond Bane scored 24 points, Luke Kennard added 23 on a season-high seven 3-pointers and the Memphis Grizzlies built an early lead and beat the Charlotte Hornets 132-120 on Wednesday night.

The Memphis Grizzlies shooting better than any previous season under Taylor Jenkins is one of the most notable observations of the 2024-25 season.

Plus, the 23-year-old from Norfolk, Va., who was a McDonald's All American as a prep and No. 15 overall draft pick after consistently improving as a two-year Duke basketball player, chipped in nine rebounds, five assists, and one steal while committing only one turnover across his 33 minutes on the floor.

Charlotte announced their starting five for tonight, which will not include LaMelo Ball who was scratched due to a sprained wrist. Miles Bridges will miss this contest as well. Add in Brandon Miller who is out for the year and the Hornets will be without their top-three scorers on the year.

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?

With Portland, the Hornets welcome a team that's in a very familiar spot to Spectrum Center. As many expected, the Trail Blazers have been one of the worst ball clubs in the Western Conference. But as of late, they are riding a three-game winning streak, including last night's impressive 101-79 victory in Orlando.