...Exactly when did I even suggest "ball"? What I had in mind was more like a large, roomlike box. And if you smack him in the face with a rock, I'm pretty sure Mako's going to stop bending anything.
I also explicitly stated that Bolin turns everything EXCEPT the ground beneath him to lava.
Well if Bolin gets shot in the face with a fireball he would stop bending also or be left with 2nd-3rd degree burns blinded by pain and suffering .
...I think you're missing the point. Mako gets hit (at all), his lightning is disrupted. My point was to refute your statement that Bolin couldn't stop him.
Honestly think that fight would end up who would be more effective with bending, mako does have an extremely good offensive with his fire and lightning bending but bolin could last long with his earth bending and have a good offensive with hislavabending. Even though they are both strong in there own right I believe that bolin would win by using the offensive capability of earth bending as well as its defensive capability s
Mako would somehow win, if only because the writers have to make Mako look cooler than everyone else most of the time. Even Korra wasn't immune to it. However, I vote Bolin because Mako isn't as good as everyone thinks he is and Bolin is quite skilled.