Pistons vs. Hornets Wednesday NBA injury report, odds: LaMelo Ball poised to return from injury

We wrote on Tuesday that the Detroit Pistons will be without young star Cade Cunningham for the rest of the season and that Wednesday's game in Charlotte would be their first matchup since finding out the news. The Hornets have been without their best young player in All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball since Nov. 16 due to an ankle injury, but he has been upgraded to questionable and is on track to return tonight barring a setback. The Hornets have risen from -3 to -3.5 at Caesars Sportsbook with this news.

Ball was initially hurt in the preseason against Washington and was able to debut in the regular season on Nov. 12 in Miami. He made it three games before re-injuring the ankle near the end his 2022-23 home debut in the Hornets' 125-113 loss to Indiana on Nov. 16. He stepped on the foot of a fan sitting courtside while trying to chase down a loose ball. Ball, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and that season's Rookie of the Year, is averaging 19.3 points and 7.0 assists in those three games.

An All-Star last season, Ball put up 20.1 points, 7.6 assists and 6.7 rebounds per game, just the third player in NBA history to average at least 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in his age-20 season, joining LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Ball also became the fourth-youngest All-Star in NBA history (20 years, 182 days). He and Magic Johnson are the only two players in NBA history to average a minimum of 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.5 steals over the first 100 games of their career. Because it's no sure thing Ball plays, there's no props on him available to wager at the book.

If Ball does in fact play, his minutes will almost surely be limited tonight. The Hornets have struggled mightily without him, going 6-18 in the games Ball missed. They won one of the three he played. Charlotte remains without the injured Gordon Hayward and Dennis Smith.

Other than Cunningham, the Pistons will only be missing reserve forward Isaiah Livers tonight, his sixth straight game on the sideline. He averages 5.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. It's the first meeting of the season between the teams. Charlotte won two of three last year. 

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