After missing five consecutive games for the Charlotte Hornets because of a right ankle injury, star guard LaMelo Ball returned to Charlotte’s lineup against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. Ball played 27 minutes in the contest and tallied 16 points, 10 assists and 3 rebounds.
LaMelo ruled out vs. Thunder for injury management
Now, after one game, Ball is back on the sideline. The star guard has officially been ruled out of Charlotte’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night due to right ankle injury management. The game is the second of a back-to-back for Charlotte, so the fact that Ball, fresh off an injury, is being held out isn't especially surprising. The organization wants to err on the side of caution with the star guard.
On the season, Ball has appeared in seven games for Charlotte and he's averaging 22.3 points, 9.9 assists, 7.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 32.4 minutes per performance.
It's been a rough start to the season for the Hornets, who have won just four of their first 12 games. They've had an especially tough time on the road, where they've won just one of their first six games.
Injury issues have contributed to the slow start, as key contributors like Ball and Brandon Miller have missed major time. Miller has been limited to just two games so far this season due to a shoulder injury.