Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Will be re-evaluated in one week
Rotowire
Ball will be re-evaluated in one week after an MRI confirmed his right ankle sprain.
This means Ball will be re-evaluated around Dec. 7. However, this does not mean that he'll return right away, as Shams Charania of The Athletic previously reported that Ball will miss extended time. Considering Ball's injury history, the Hornets will obviously proceed with caution.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Will likely miss extended time
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Ball has been diagnosed with a serious right ankle sprain and is expected to miss extended time, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Charania also relays that Ball is currently using a walking boot and crutches to get around. The All-Star point guard was off to a strong start this season, posting 24.7 points, 8.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game, but he suffered the injury during Sunday's loss to Orlando and had already been ruled out for Tuesday's matchup versus New York, which will mark his first absence of the season. Ball was limited to just 36 games last year due to recurring ankle injuries, so this is a concerning development for the 22-year-old pro. In his absence, Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller will presumably lead Charlotte's offense in usage.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Downgraded to out
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Ball (ankle) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Knicks.
As expected, Ball has been downgraded from doubtful to out and will miss his first game of the season. He's reportedly avoided structural damage, but it's unclear how much time he'll miss, though the Hornets will presumably be cautious given Ball missed most of last season with recurring ankle issues. In Ball's absence, Ish Smith, Terry Rozier, Bryce McGowens and Brandon Miller are candidates for increased roles.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Unlikely to play Tuesday
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Ball (ankle) is doubtful for Tuesday's game against the Knicks.
Ball exited Sunday's game against the Magic due to a right ankle injury, and although he reportedly avoided structural damage, he'll still likely be forced to miss at least one game due to the issue. He's slated to undergo an MRI on Monday, but the results aren't yet known. A better idea of Ball's long-term status could come into focus once the results of his MRI are revealed, but Ish Smith, Terry Rozier, Bryce McGowens and Brandon Miller are candidates to see increased run Tuesday in Ball's absence.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Avoids ankle fracture
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Ball was cleared of any structural damage to his right ankle after undergoing X-rays following his exit from Sunday's 130-117 loss to the Magic and is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, Spencer Percy of the "Buzz Beat" podcast reports.
Ball's 2022-23 season came to an early end after he fractured the same ankle in late February and required surgery, so the fact that his X-ray detected no structural damage can be taken as positive news. However, Ball isn't out of the woods yet, as the upcoming MRI will reveal whether the star point guard sustained any ligament damage. Depending on what the MRI reveals, Ball could still be headed for a lengthy absence, so fantasy managers should check back for an update on his status before the Hornets' next game Tuesday against the Knicks. If Ball is forced to miss time, Terry Rozier would likely shift to more of an on-ball role, which would open a spot in the starting unit for either Brandon Miller or P.J. Washington.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Exits game Sunday
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Ball (ankle) is out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Magic, Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer reports.
The 22-year-old exited the game in the second quarter after getting tangled up with Paolo Banchero following a drive to the basket, and Ball will be unable to return due to a right ankle strain. There has been no official word on Ball's availability going forward, but it's possible he misses some time. Ball finished Sunday's contest with seven points, two assists and one rebound in 14 minutes.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Finishes with double-double
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Ball finished with 34 points (13-31 FG, 6-16 3Pt, 2-3 FT), eight rebounds, 13 assists and one steal across 40 minutes during Wednesday's 117-114 victory over Washington.
Ball had plenty of shot volume during Wednesday's matchup, and although he didn't have his most efficient performance, he finished with a team-high scoring total while also posting his second double-double in his last five appearances. He's scored at least 25 points in nine consecutive matchups and has averaged 32.2 points, 8.7 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 37.4 minutes per game during that time.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Dominates in victory Monday
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Ball recorded 36 points (15-27 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 1-1 FT), nine rebounds, eight assists, one block and two steals over 41 minutes during Monday's 121-118 overtime victory over the Celtics.
Ball was dynamic once again Monday, leading the Hornets to easily their best victory of the season. He scored at least 30 points for the sixth time in the past eight games, continuing his red-hot form. He has managed to put up first-round value over the past two weeks, averaging 32.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 4.3 three-pointers per game. While this could be viewed as a sell-high opportunity, managers may simply want to hang on and see whether this turns into a season full of first-round production.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Puts up 34 points in loss
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Ball notched 34 points (12-22 FG, 8-13 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, nine assists and a steal across 36 minutes in Saturday's 122-108 loss to the Knicks.
Ball has been scorching hot this month, but his impressive individual displays have not been enough to lead a struggling Hornets team to victories on a consistent basis. The team's struggles are real, but Ball remains an elite alternative in fantasy and continues to deliver first-round value due to his scoring ability and versatility. However, it must be noted his uptick in usage is also related to the fact that Terry Rozier (groin) remains out. Ball is averaging 27.0 points, 8.0 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game in November.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: High-volume production in loss
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Ball finished Tuesday's 111-105 loss to the Heat with 28 points (9-26 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 6-6 FT), 11 assists, six rebounds and three steals across 39 minutes. He also had eight turnovers.
Ball struggled with his efficiency, but he didn't have much support while the Hornets were down six players due to injury. Miles Bridges also served the final game of his 30-game suspension, and he's expected to be back in action for the first time since the 2021-22 season in Friday's matchup with the Bucks and should help alleviate some of the pressure from Ball. Terry Rozier will also return at some point from a groin injury. Despite the rough field-goal percentage and hefty turnover total, Ball still filled it up in five other categories and was perfect from the charity stripe, much to the delight of fantasy managers. He's overcome a slow start to the season and has averaged 29.8 points, 8.6 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 4.0 three-pointers and 1.6 steals over his last five outings.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Stuffs stat sheet Sunday
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Ball ended Sunday's 129-107 loss to the Knicks with 32 points (13-20 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, six assists, one block and one steal over 33 minutes.
Ball has been on an absolute tear of late and reached the 30-point mark for the third time over his last four games. The star floor general is one of the most versatile players in the league when it comes to filling the stat sheet and his numbers back him up. He's averaging 25.2 points, 8.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game across six November outings.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Strikes for season-high 34
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Ball supplied 34 points (13-22 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 5-7 FT), four rebounds, seven assists and one steal in 36 minutes during Wednesday's 132-116 loss to the Wizards.
The 34 points topped the season-high 30 that Ball produced Sunday against the Mavericks as part of a triple-double, but neither performance got the Hornets a win. The fourth-year guard has come out of his early-season shooting slump with a vengeance -- after stumbling to a 29.7 percent field-goal percentage through his first five games, Ball's gone 24-for-45 (53.3 percent) over the last two contests.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Booms for 30, scores 23 in fourth
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Ball totaled 30 points (11-23 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 3-3 FT), 10 rebounds, 13 assists, one block and one steal across 39 minutes before fouling out of Sunday's 124-118 loss to the Mavericks.
Ball was amid another underwhelming performance prior to sinking eight shots -- including all five of his threes -- in the fourth quarter. Ball looked like he might have tweaked his ankle towards the end of the contest, but sustaining the prime dual-threat activity that was featured throughout Sunday's contest would be huge for Charlotte and fantasy managers alike.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Shoots poorly, but drops 11 dimes
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Ball posted 11 points (4-15 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 1-1 FT), 11 assists, two rebounds and two steals over 31 minutes during Saturday's 125-124 victory over Indiana.
Ball shot 26.7 percent from the field and significantly offset his 11 assists with six turnovers and five fouls committed. Through Charlotte's first five games, Ball has failed to exceed 20 points, marking his longest drought since January of his rookie season. He remains a bounce-back candidate, but struggling against a weak Pacers defense is not ideal. Notably, he clamped Tyrese Haliburton on Indiana's final possession to seal the game.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Underwhelms in loss
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Ball totaled 19 points (7-15 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 3-4 FT), one rebound, five assists and one steal across 33 minutes during Wednesday's 128-119 loss to the Rockets.
Ball's pedestrian stat line comes in the context of Charlotte's third straight loss on a night where the team shot 50.0 percent from the field. On the other hand, Ball's 46.7 percent shooting Wednesday marked his most efficient outing of the season. He has yet to exceed 20 points in a game this season, creating a buy-low window with better days likely ahead.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Can't connect from deep
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Ball accumulated eight points (3-12 FG, 0-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, eight assists and two steals across 22 minutes before fouling out of Monday's 133-121 loss to the Nets.
Ball's shooting struggles to begin the season are real, as he's connecting on just 25.0 percent of his field-goal attempts. However, he's somewhat salvaged his fantasy value with consistent contributions in other categories. He's dished out at least eight assists in three straight contests to begin the year and is averaging 2.0 steals-plus-blocks per game. Nonetheless, Ball will have to start putting the ball in the basket consistently to justify his high ADP.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Flirts with triple-double
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Ball recorded 20 points (4-17 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 10-12 FT), nine rebounds, nine assists, one block and two steals across 33 minutes during Friday's 111-99 loss to the Pistons.
Ball's inefficiency is glaring, but his ability to stuff the stat sheet on a night when Charlotte only mustered 99 points is indicative of how central his role is. Ball is the Hornets' engine, which provides an elite fantasy floor.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Will be restricted Wednesday
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Coach Steve Clifford said Ball (ankle) will have a minute restriction during Wednesday's season-opener against the Hawks, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.
Ball played 27 minutes during the Hornets' preseason finale versus Boston, but it appears he's still working his way back to a full workload after missing most of last season due to ankle injuries. Clifford said Ball won't play 35 or 36 minutes, but "but he could play 30," per Rowland. Across 36 appearances last year, Ball averaged 35.2 minutes per game.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Leads offense in preseason finale
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Ball posted 16 points (5-13 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 4-5 FT), five assists, three rebounds and one steal over 27 minutes in Thursday's 127-99 preseason loss to Boston.
Ball led all Hornets players in scoring and assists while also connecting on a team-leading mark from three in the preseason finale. Ball posted his third game with 15 or more points out of four preseason appearances, finishing the postseason averaging 15.3 points, 4.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals over 22.0 minutes per game.
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Hornets' LaMelo Ball: All-around showing in preseason win
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Ball posted 16 points (7-16 FG, 2-8 3Pt), six rebounds, six assists and three steals over 24 minutes in Sunday's 117-115 preseason win over Oklahoma City.
Ball handed out a team-high-tying assist total while leading the team in steals and finishing as one of four Charlotte players in double figures in scoring in Sunday's preseason victory. Ball has posted at least 15 points and six assists in two of three preseason contests, averaging 15.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.3 steals in preseason play.
