On Friday, the Charlotte Hornets were on the receiving end of yet another humbling defeat, as they lost 106-126 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road. It was their seventh straight loss on the trot and their 22nd in their last 25 games. In the same span, the Detroit Pistons are 4-21, making the Hornets the worst team in the league.
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Their only hope of snapping their dismal streak would be the return of star guard LaMelo Ball. He has missed their last four games with an ankle injury, where they have lost by an average of 15 points. Ball suffered a right ankle sprain during the Hornets’ 26th January game against the Houston Rockets and has been sidelined ever since.
The Hornets would’ve hoped to have Ball back for their home game against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. However, the guard will continue to remain sidelined with his ‘Right Ankle Tendinopathy’. As per the February 4th Injury Report released by the Hornets, Melo will be ‘out’ for tonight’s game at Spectrum Center, along with Gordon Hayward and Kyle Lowry.
INJURY UPDATE: @hornets vs IND 2/4
Frank Ntilikina (R Hip Impingement) is questionable
LaMelo Ball (R Ankle), Gordon Hayward (L Calf) and Mark Williams (Low Back) are out
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) February 3, 2024
Charlotte has a horrendous record without Ball this season. They’ve played 25 games without him and have an embarrassing record of 3-22. With him in the lineup, they are 7-15, which isn’t great but certainly better than when he’s sidelined. Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton is also ‘questionable’ for tonight’s contest. The Hornets will have their work cut out for them if the Pacers show up with their full squad.
LaMelo Ball’s concerning injury record
LaMelo Ball is one of the finest young guards in the league and can be an All-Star candidate when healthy. However, his injury record has been shocking. He featured in only 51 games in his debut season but played well enough to earn the Rookie of the Year award. He was significantly healthier in his sophomore year. The Hornets star played 75 games and averaged 20.1 points, 7.4 assists, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals to earn his first All-Star nod.
Since experiencing the high of becoming an All-Star in his second NBA season, it has been all downhill for Ball. Last year, he was limited to only 36 games after suffering a season-ending right ankle fracture in February.
Prayers up to LaMelo Ball who exited the Hornets-Pistons game with a non-contact leg injury
pic.twitter.com/PsIYYFmkTw— Kicks (@kicks) February 28, 2023
This season, Ball has missed 25 of the Hornets’ 47 games. When he has been on the court, the 22-year-old has been spectacular, averaging 23.9 points, eight assists, and 5.1 rebounds. However, the best ability is availability, and the guard has yet to master it. Ball’s All-NBA caliber stats are futile as he won’t make the 65-game cutoff to win individual accolades or All-NBA nods.
The Hornets are a poor team with Ball on the court. However, without their star guard, they rank among the worst squads of the 21st century.
