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Despite the Charlotte Hornets’ poor start to the 2024-2025 season, LaMelo Ball is playing like a superstar. The former No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft is healthy and playing like an All-Star. But there may be some cause for concern. LaMelo Ball was placed on the Hornets’ injury report prior to their game against the New York Knicks.

LaMelo Ball is just one of many Hornets players who will miss the team’s game against the Knicks on Friday due to injury, according to team PR. Ball, who has been healthy this season, suffered a calf injury late in Wednesday’s loss to the Miami Heat.

In addition to Ball, the Hornets will also be without Miles Bridges (right knee), DaQuan Jeffries (right hand), Tre Mann (lower back), Nick Richards (right rib), Grant Williams (right ACL) and Mark Williams (left). foot) against the Knicks. In Grant Williams is out for the rest of the season.

The Hornets have started the year 6-12 and trail only the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers for the worst records in the Eastern Conference standings.

But Ball has been on a tear since the start of the season. He recently completed a four-game stretch where he scored 35, 50, 44 and 32 points respectively.

Through the first 18 games, Ball had averaged 31.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.1 steals on 43 percent shooting from the field, 35.6 percent from the three-point line and 84.8 percent from the free throw line. . His points per game are a career-high.

Ball, the 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year, has certainly proven himself as a franchise-level player. Together with Brandon Miller, last season’s second overall pick, they have formed an intriguing duo in Charlotte. But the team is nowhere near a consistent playoff contender.

David Japkowitz is a basketball journalist for ClutchPoints, writing news about the NBA, WNBA and NCAA Basketball for both men and women. The Los Angeles native has bylines with Basketball Insiders, SB Nation and The Next Hoops.