By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — LaMelo Ball’s frustrating, injury-plagued season is likely over after the point guard broke his right ankle in Charlotte’s 117-106 win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.
The former Chino Hills High star has already missed 27 games this season after he sprained his left ankle on three separate occasions, beginning in the preseason. He and the Hornets (20-43) were playing their best basketball of the season before the point guard fell to the floor on a non-contact play in the third quarter.
X-rays revealed the fracture to Ball’s ankle.
“It sucks,” Hornets swingman Gordon Hayward said, shaking his head. “Injuries are the worst part of the game.”
Ball had entered the game with five straight double-doubles and appeared on his way to another with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists before leaving with 9:26 left in the period.
He was also shooting the ball extremely well from deep, having made 47.3% (27 of 57) of his 3-point shots over the last five games. He was 6 for 7 from behind the arc against the Pistons.
Charlotte’s five-game winning streak was the team’s longest of the season.
“We were starting to figure it out as a team,” Hayward said. “He and I were starting to build (chemistry). I think me personally, I was starting to build a good relationship with him on the court and we were finding easy buckets for each other. Some of that is what we’ve gone through the whole year, not being able to build that out on the court with different guys being injured. Him at the beginning of the season, then me right after that, and now him again. It’s been back and forth with different people through the year, which is tough.”
Ball had just dribbled behind his back and appeared to be setting up to work off a screen from center Mark Williams behind the 3-point arc when he fell to the ground. He grabbed the loose ball and passed to Williams, who found a teammate for a score.
Ball was…
Read the full article here
