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LaMelo Ball broke his proper ankle in Monday’s victory over the Detroit Pistons, the Charlotte Hornets introduced. The play got here within the third quarter, with the Hornets main by double digits. Ball was dealing with the basketball and tried a behind-the-back dribble. He fell to the bottom afterward in important ache. He left the sport and didn’t return from there.
The Hornets held on for a precarious 117-106 win, their fourth straight, however Ball’s harm places a damper on any optimistic vibes this streak might need generated. Ball leads the Hornets in factors (23.4) and assists (8.5) per sport this season, and his 3.9 made 3-pointers per sport ranks fourth within the NBA behind solely Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Damian Lillard.
Charlotte had already fallen out of playoff competition this season. Still, Ball’s historical past of ankle accidents is regarding for a franchise that badly wants him to function their cornerstone shifting ahead. Ball missed the primary 13 video games of this season on account of a sprained left ankle, after which he rolled that ankle in simply his third sport again for the season and wound up lacking one other 11 video games.
At 20-43, the Hornets have little left to play for this season. They will, due to this fact, possible be as cautious as doable as Ball rehabs his harm, so the chances are towards him taking the ground once more this season. But Ball is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, and the Hornets have not made the playoffs since 2016. This is a big setback for all events concerned, and now all they will hope is that Ball’s accidents do not recur past the season.
