NEW YORK — LaMelo Ball missed the second half of Charlotte’s 97-89 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night because of right ankle soreness.
Ball, who has battled frequent ankle problems and recently returned from a sprained left one, played the first 10 minutes of the first quarter and sat the second. The Hornets announced at halftime that he would not return.
Ball said he tweaked the ankle and didn’t think it was serious. Neither he nor coach Charles Lee knew if the point guard would play Wednesday at Orlando in the Hornets’ final game before the All-Star break.
“It’s always a frustration whenever you go out,” Ball said. “You obviously just want to play, but you’ve got to do what’s best and just get everything stronger and go from there.”
The Hornets dropped all five games Ball missed from Jan. 29 to Feb. 5 and are 1-16 in games he has missed this season. He came back to score 24 points in a victory over San Antonio on Friday but sat out Sunday at Detroit because of what the Hornets said was left ankle soreness.
Ball had five points and three assists Monday. He is averaging 28 points but has missed 17 games this season, with Charlotte losing 16 of them.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.