Hornets' LaMelo Ball, NBA's 2nd-leading scorer, out at least 2 weeks with left calf strain

LaMelo Ball has been on a scoring tear for the Charlotte Hornets this season, but he'll miss the next two weeks with a strained left calf, the team announced on Saturday.

Ball, 23, missed Friday's 99-98 loss to the New York Knicks as the Hornets were eliminated from group play in the NBA Cup tournament. He was listed on the injury report as out due to illness, but he was hurt more seriously. Ball suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Wednesday's loss to the Miami Heat.

Over his past four games, Ball had averaged 40 points, including a 50-point effort last Saturday against the Milwaukee Bucks. For the season, he's averaging 31.1 points per game, behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo among the NBA scoring leaders.

However, Ball's scoring hasn't helped the Hornets win games. Charlotte has lost four straight and eight of its past 10 going into Saturday's matchup with the Atlanta Hawks. At 6-13, the Hornets are 12th in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the Southeast Division.

Injuries have been an issue throughout Ball's career. Since playing 75 games in his second year, Ball has appeared in a total of 76 games during the past three seasons. Last season, he played in only 22 games after having surgery on his right ankle and struggling with continued soreness afterward. Ankle injuries limited him to 36 games during the 2022-23 campaign.

Charlotte lost forward Grant Williams for the season with a torn ACL last week. Centers Mark Williams (foot strain) and Nick Richards (fractured rib) haven't been available, and Miles Bridges missed two weeks with a bone bruise in his right knee. Yet Ball's injury will be the most impactful, considering how well he's been playing.