Tragedy strikes the Hornets! They are having an underwhelming season, as they have won only 12 games so far, and are among the bottom two teams in the East. However, LaMelo Ball’s impressive performance has luckily been their silver lining. But the superstar guard suffered a massive setback during tonight’s Lakers clash as he was forced to leave the game due to an unfortunate injury.

The incident occurred in the opening minutes of the second quarter. As LaMelo Ball hit a three-pointer over Jarred Vanderbilt, he was backpedaling while marveling at his shot. But he accidentally stepped on Vando’s foot while running back on defense and tweaked his left ankle. He fell to the floor in visible pain. Sure enough, Ball subbed out immediately and headed straight to the locker room to assess the issue.

Turns out, he would not return for the remainder of the game. The reason? A left ankle sprain. With that call, Melo’s night ended early, with only seven points in nine minutes. Vet guard Vasilije Micic took over point guard duty following Ball’s departure. Obviously, his injury is a massive blow to the team because LaMelo was having an All-Star caliber season, averaging 28.9 points and over 7 assists.

However, injury-prone ankles have been an issue with him since his career began. Just two years ago, a fracture in his right ankle cut his season short. And he had to get it surgically repaired. Even last season, he was limited to playing only 22 games because of a right ankle setback again. Tonight, it’s his left ankle that has caused the guy problems. Well, getting injured is part and parcel of the journey but the timing could not have been worse as the hoopster is already fighting for a spot in the All-Star team.

NBA veteran believes LaMelo Ball could get snubbed, despite being East’s ‘fan-favorite guard’

Only a few days ago, it looked like Ball would be a starter in next month’s All-Star game. That’s because he received the highest fan votes among East guards in all three rounds. However, the Hornets’ terrible record worked against him. Yes, he missed the starting spot after being voted 3rd by players and 7th by the media. And there is a high chance that Melo might not even crack the Reserves list, as it is no longer based on fan votes.

Former Clippers star, Lou Williams thinks that is a possibility. “You can go from being one of the top vote-getters to possibly not getting in at all, simply because some other guys are playing better, their teams are playing better, they’re in better positions.”

Tyler Herro and Cade Cunningham were some of the names, who he believed could get the nod before LaMelo Ball because their team has a winning record and the impact they’ve had on their team’s success. Moreover, if tonight’s injury is serious, the Hornets guard might not be able to play in the star-studded event, even if he makes the cut! Hopefully, that’s not the case because the fans definitely want to see him suit up. Do you think Melo should get the nod despite the Hornets’ losing record?