After four years, people witnessed the Ball brothers matchup against each other. But amidst this highly anticipated matchup, the Charlotte Hornets were missing one key element: Brandon Miller. Just as the Hornets were gaining momentum, the player sustained a wrist injury while going up against the Utah Jazz. As Miller gets sidelined for an indefinite period, the Hornets’ head coach shares motivating words for the players.

Speaking of Miller’s injury, head coach Charles Lee called it a “bittersweet” moment. He said, “One of those bittersweet things where you’re happy for the victory, but unfortunate news on Brandon. We’ll continue to evaluate where he is and do as much testing as we can. Out indefinitely and we all just have to band together and help him get through his rehab.”

The player last suited up against the Utah Jazz on January 15, securing the Hornets a 117-112 win. After much time, the Hornets were finally in sync with their starting five, including Ball, Mark Williams, and Miles Bridges.

Miller’s injury was quite serious before their battle against the Bulls. The team had already struggled enough with injuries. More tension was added with the latest update on the 22-year-old’s injury. According to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer, Miller has a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist and will be out for an indefinite period.

LaMelo, who was leading the team, extended support to his teammate recalling his injury from his rookie days. “Definitely hurts. I was in the same kind of situation my rookie year or sophomore, so I know how he feels. We all have his back and everything, love him, take care of him, watch out for him. He with the whole squad, so that helps a little,” LaMelo said.

The revelation came after the team secured a 125-123 win against the Bulls. It was crucial for the head coach to energize and drive the players. After all, it was a game that fans had long been looking forward to.

LaMelo Ball and Lonzo Ball face off in thrilling matchup

LaMelo hit a team-high 26 points, while his brother had 6 points and 3 steals. Lonzo was sidelined for 3 years due to his knee injury and had to undergo three surgeries. Finally, in October 2024, he made his season debut against the New Orleans Pelicans. The last time these two battled was on November 29, 2021. This was the 4th matchup where they played against each other.

And it’s not just the fans who were excited for the team-up, the second Ball brother was also present. LiAngelo was at the United Center to watch the matchup. The teams had played against each other twice earlier this season, but both times LaMelo was sidelined due to a left calf strain and wrist soreness.

The Chicago Bulls were led by Nikola Vucevic, who scored a season-high 40 points to lead the Bulls. Zach LaVine hit 19 points, Coby White scored 18, but the Bulls couldn’t keep up. On the other hand, Williams added 19 points and 19 rebounds, while Bridges hit 21 points to help the Charlotte Hornets win. As the head coach mentioned, the team altogether must provide similar help to continue the streak of wins while extending support to Miller for a quick recovery.