CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two Charlotte Hornets guards have achieved something that hasn’t been done since the Golden State Warriors’ legendary Splash Brothers dominated from beyond the arc.
Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball have become the first teammates since Steph Curry and Klay Thompson to claim the top two spots in the NBA for three-pointers made in a season. Their impressive shooting performance comes as Charlotte attempts to break the league’s longest active playoff drought, which has stretched for a decade.
The rookie Knueppel shattered NBA first-year records on his way to leading the entire league with 273 three-pointers while maintaining an impressive 42.5% accuracy rate from long range.
Ball finished just one shot behind his teammate with 272 successful three-pointers on 36.8% shooting from beyond the arc.
“I think it’s pretty cool — they must have a great coach that allows them to shoot that many 3s,” Charlotte coach Charles Lee joked about his players’ achievement.
Beyond the humor, the Hornets appear to have discovered their offensive identity under Lee’s guidance and are moving in a positive direction after spending most of the past decade struggling near the Eastern Conference basement.
Expect plenty of long-range attempts Tuesday evening when Charlotte welcomes the Miami Heat for their 9 vs. 10 NBA play-in tournament matchup — marking the franchise’s first home postseason contest in ten years.
Charlotte must defeat Miami and then beat whichever team loses the 7-8 contest between Philadelphia and Orlando to advance to an actual playoff series for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign.
Knueppel has provided exactly what the Hornets organization desperately needed.
The first-year player earned Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors four times and paces all rookies with 36 games scoring 20 or more points. He surpassed six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan’s rookie record for most 20-point games while shooting 65% true shooting percentage, accomplishing the feat 27 times.
“Kon is like my brother for real, and I love playing with him,” Ball explained. “He’s such a great shooter it makes our whole team better the way we play off each other.”
The two players bring contrasting styles to Charlotte’s backcourt.
Ball prefers creating space with step-back three-pointers and employs an unconventional shooting form, frequently launching shots off one foot. Knueppel displays textbook shooting mechanics that remain consistent from attempt to attempt, and while he excels as a catch-and-shoot threat, he regularly uses side dribbles to evade approaching defenders and generate open opportunities.
Despite their differences, the pair has found remarkable chemistry on the court.
Knueppel held a three-shot advantage over Ball entering the regular season finale, but the point guard nearly overtook him by connecting on five three-pointers in that last game.
If Ball had attempted and converted one additional three-pointer in the fourth quarter, he would have tied Knueppel for the league lead.
“Well, we were passing each other good looks and trying to make the right reads,” Knueppel said about the team’s victory over the New York Knicks. “It wasn’t like somebody was going in there jacking (up shots). We were passing back and forth trying to make the right play. It just so happened to be me.”
Lee noted that such unselfish play has characterized his team throughout the entire season.
“Those two guys, they work so hard on their craft,” Lee commented. “One thing I like is our team’s unselfishness to create those looks for them with the drives and kicks. And it’s impressive that our guards and our bigs are setting such great looks to get these guys clean looks.”
Charlotte’s offensive arsenal extends well beyond just two players.
Brandon Miller represents another elite shooter who connected on 204 three-pointers this season and might have challenged Knueppel and Ball’s totals if not for missing 17 games with an injury. Miles Bridges also possesses three-point range, though he’s better recognized for his ability to attack the rim and his athletic finishing on fast-break alley-oops.
The Hornets also added Coby White, who has made a significant impact off the bench following his midseason acquisition from the Chicago Bulls.
White has knocked down 43 three-pointers across 21 appearances with Charlotte.
Don’t overlook undersized center Moussa Diabate, who generates open three-point looks by distributing the ball to the perimeter following offensive rebounds.
Now Charlotte must determine whether their prolific three-point shooting can produce playoff victories like it once did for Golden State’s Splash Brothers.
