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LaMelo Ball and rookie Kon Knueppel both hit 270+ threes, matching Curry-Thompson history as Charlotte heads into the play-in with serious firepower.
Hornets’ Ball-Knueppel duo joined Curry-Thompson in one of NBA’s most elite lists (AP, AFP)
Maybe Charles Barkley wasn’t joking after all. Because right now, the Charlotte Hornets look like a dream, and their fans won’t want to wake up anytime soon.
Fresh off a statement 110-96 win over the New York Knicks, the Hornets closed out their regular season by adding a slice of NBA history along the way.
A Record-Breaking Duo
The spotlight belonged to LaMelo Ball and rookie sensation Kon Knueppel.
Both players crossed the 270 three-pointer mark this season, becoming just the second duo in NBA history to do so — matching the iconic “Splash Brothers” pairing of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel join Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson as the only teammates to each make 270 threes in a season 🎯Curry and Thompson did it twice (2015-16 and 2022-23). pic.twitter.com/4mzfnALQ3g
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) April 12, 2026
Curry and Thompson did it twice (2015-16 and 2022-23). Now, Ball and Knueppel have joined that exclusive club.
A One-Shot Difference
And in a twist that made it even sweeter (or spicier), the two were neck-and-neck heading into the finale.
Ball drained five triples against New York to reach 272 for the season. Knueppel? He knocked down three, finishing at 273 — just one ahead — to clinch the league’s three-point crown.
KON WINS NBA 3PT RACE OVER LAMELO BY ONE THREE 🤯LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel are the first duo with 270+ threes each in a season since Steph and Klay 😳 pic.twitter.com/RReU3h3uJH
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 13, 2026
Yes, a rookie just outgunned his franchise superstar by the slimmest of margins to take the league crown.
Knueppel’s final line — 14 points, six rebounds, five assists — was tidy as Kon capped off a historic debut season while making a strong case for the Rookie of the Year award.
Play-In Bound, Confidence High
The win pushed Charlotte to a 44-38 finish, locking them into the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference play-in race — ahead of the Miami Heat, but behind the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic.
Because if there’s one thing this team has right now, it’s firepower.
With Ball and Knueppel raining threes at historic levels, Charlotte suddenly look like a dangerous side to play against, especially in a one-off winner-goes-home scenario.
And if Knueppel keeps this up? That Rookie of the Year conversation might not just be heating up; it might already be decided.
April 13, 2026, 16:11 IST
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