The resurgent Charlotte Hornets will face a stern test on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. The Hornets have won five of their last six games, a dramatic improvement after winning only 10 of their first 51 games. The team’s surprise upturn in form coincided with LaMelo Ball‘s return to practice last week. The guard has been out of action since suffering an ankle injury against the Houston Rockets last month.
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Ball has missed the Hornets’ last 14 games with an ankle sprain (Right Ankle Tendinopathy) but is closing in on a return. The Hornets would’ve liked to have him back for tonight’s road game against the Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard-led Bucks, but the young guard hasn’t been medically cleared to return to the court. LaMelo Ball will sit out in tonight’s road game against Milwaukee, as per latest reports.
The Hornets’ playoff hopes are minuscule. They are ten games behind the Atlanta Hawks, who occupy the final play-in tournament spot in the Eastern table. With 25 games left in the season, Charlotte will have to win at least 20 games to make it to the play-in. Embarking on a run like that without Ball is improbable. The Hornets won’t rush their star guard back from injury.
On the other hand, they would probably opt to shut him down for the rest of the season instead of pushing him to recover a failed season. While Ball’s return is reportedly imminent, it’s still at least a few days away.
LaMelo Ball’s concerning injury history
The Bucks game will be the 36th that LaMelo Ball misses this season. It’ll also extend his current streak to 15. Ball’s absence has played a massive role in the Hornets’ horrendous record. They are 8-27 without him in the lineup, and while they have won only seven of the 22 games he has played, their offensive output is hampered significantly by his absence. With Ball, the Hornets average 112.4 points per game, and without him it drops to 105.3.
Since getting drafted in 2020, the young guard has missed 109 games and played 184. His constant absence from the lineup has made life difficult for the Hornets. They have struggled to build a viable offensive identity due to their point guard often being sidelined. It’s been tough for head coach Steve Clifford, who enjoyed only 27 wins last season and is projected to finish with significantly fewer this season.
Ball has been exceptional when he has played this season. In 22 games, he’s averaged 23.9 points, eight assists, and 5.1 rebounds. However, he hasn’t played enough, which has been a consistent theme throughout his career. The Hornets are exercising caution and patience in managing his return to the lineup from his latest ailment. They want to him finish the year healthy, recuperate in the offseason, and return healthy for the 2024-25 season.
