Broken ankle may end season of Hornets’ Ball
LaMelo Ball’s frustrating, injury-hampered season could be over after the point guard broke his right ankle in Charlotte’s 117-106 home win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.
Ball already missed 27 games after he sprained his left ankle on three occasions, beginning in the preseason. The Chino Hills product and the Hornets (20-43) were playing their best basketball of the season before he fell to the floor on a non-contact play in the third quarter. Xrays revealed the fracture.
“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 quarter.
He also was shooting extremely well from deep, having made 47.3% over the last five games. He was six for seven against the Pistons.
Charlotte’s five-game winning streak is the team’s longest of the season.
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