LaMelo Ball hits 7 1st-half 3-pointers in return, Hornets beat Hawks 133-126

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LaMelo Ball hit seven first-half 3-pointers in his return from a right ankle injury, Charlotte had 18 in the opening 24 minutes to match the NBA and franchise records and the Hornets beat the Atlanta Hawks 133-126 on Thursday night.

After missing three games, Ball was 7 of 9 from 3-point range in the first half. He finished 8 of 11 on 3s and had 28 points and 13 assists in just over 29 minutes. Charlotte also made 18 3s in a half March 14 at San Antonio. Six teams have done it once.

The Hornets spoiled Atlanta star guard Trae Young’s return from a knee injury. Young had eight points and 10 assists in 20 minutes. He sprained the MCL in his right knee in a game at Brooklyn on Oct. 29.

Jalen Johnson just missed a triple-double for Atlanta, finishing with 43 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

Charlotte was 24 of 49 on 3s overall, falling short of the franchise record of 26 set in the March game against the Spurs. Kon Knueppel matched Ball with 28 points, and Brandon Miller had 26. Knueppel was 6 of 12 on 3s, and Miller 4 of 7.

The Hornets improved to 9-18, winning consecutive games for the second time this season. On Sunday, they won at Cleveland in overtime.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 28 points for Atlanta. The Hawks dropped to 15-13. They beat Philadelphia at home Sunday.

Hawks: Host San Antonio on Friday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller, right, dunks over Atlanta Hawks guard Vit Krejci during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks forward Asa Newell (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) shoots against Atlanta Hawks guard Vit Krejci, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel, right, looks to drive against Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball smiles after making a three-point basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A jury found a Wisconsin judge accused of helping a Mexican immigrant dodge federal authorities guilty of obstruction Thursday, marking a victory for President Donald Trump as he continues his sweeping immigration crackdown across the country.

Federal prosecutors charged Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan with obstruction, a felony, and concealing an individual to prevent arrest, a misdemeanor, in April. The jury acquitted her on the concealment count, but she still faces up to five years in prison on the obstruction count.

The jury returned the verdicts after deliberating for six hours.

Dugan and her attorneys left the courtroom, ducked into a side conference room and closed the door without speaking to reporters.

According to a court filings that include an FBI affidavit and a federal grand jury indictment, immigration authorities traveled to the Milwaukee County courthouse on April 18 after learning 31-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz had reentered the country illegally and was scheduled to appear before Dugan for a hearing in a state battery case.

Dugan learned that agents were in the corridor outside her courtroom waiting for Flores-Ruiz. She left the courtroom to confront them, falsely telling that their administrative warrant for Flores-Ruiz wasn’t sufficient grounds to arrest him and directing them to go to the chief judge’s office.

While the agents were gone, she addressed Flores-Ruiz’s case off the record, told his attorney that he could attend his next hearing via Zoom and led Flores-Ruiz and the attorney out a private jury door. Agents spotted Flores-Ruiz in the corridor, followed him outside and arrested him after a foot chase. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced in November he had been deported.

The case inflamed tensions over Trump’s immigration crackdown, with his administration branding Dugan an activist judge and Democrats countering that the administration was trying to make an example of Dugan to blunt judicial opposition to the operation.

Prosecutors worked during Dugan’s trial to show that she directed agents to the chief judge’s office to create an opening for Flores-Ruiz to escape.

An FBI agent who led the investigation testified that after agents left the corridor, she immediately moved Flores-Ruiz’s case to the top of her docket, told him that he could appear for his next hearing via Zoom and led him out the private door.

Prosecutors also played audio recordings from her courtroom in which she can be heard telling her court reporter that she’d take “the heat” for leading Flores-Ruiz out the back.

Her attorneys countered that she was trying to follow courthouse protocols that called for court employees to report any immigration agents to their supervisors and she didn’t intentionally try to obstruct the arrest team.

This courtroom sketch depicts Maura Gingerich at Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan's trial in court, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wis. (Adela Tesnow via AP, Pool)

This courtroom sketch depicts Judge Katie Kegel at Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan's trial in court, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wis. (Adela Tesnow via AP, Pool)

This courtroom sketch depicts Judge Laura Gramling Perez at Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan's trial in court, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wis. (Adela Tesnow via AP, Pool)

This courtroom sketch depicts Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan in court, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wis. (Adela Tesnow via AP)