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Hornets star LaMelo Ball (calf) out at least two weeks

Mon Dec 2 1:24pm ET
Field Level Media

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball will be sidelined at least two weeks with a left calf strain, the team announced on Saturday.

Ball sustained his injury late in the fourth quarter of Charlotte's 98-94 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

He sat out the Hornets' 99-98 setback to the New York Knicks on Friday and has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the visiting Atlanta Hawks.

The Hornets have dropped four in a row and six of their last seven games.


Ball, 23, is averaging an NBA second-best 31.1 points per game to go along with 6.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds this season.

The NBA's Rookie of the Year in 2020-21 and an All-Star the following season, Ball has contributed 21.0 points, 7.4 assists and 6.2 rebounds in 202 career games (182 starts).

Ball was selected by the Hornets with the third overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.

Player Notes
Andrew Nembhard Mon Dec 2 7:40pm

Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (knee) returned to the Pacers' lineup on Sunday, but he's uncertain to play Tuesday when the Pacers visit Toronto. In his return, he played just 15 minutes but looked sharp with 14 points, four assists, two steals, two three-pointers, and two rebounds. Nembhard could be ready for an increased workload if he plays on Tuesday, but if he needs more time to recover, Quenton Jackson would likely return to the starting lineup in his spot. Jackson started the second half in Nembhard's place on Sunday so that Nembhard could close, but the game turned into a blowout keeping Nembhard's minutes so low.

Bradley Beal Mon Dec 2 7:40pm

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (calf) is listed as probable for Tuesday's game against the San Antonio Spurs. The Suns have been managing Beal's calf injury and should be good to go on Tuesday after missing Saturday's game against Golden State. The 31-year-old has been very solid for the Suns when active, averaging 18.2 PPG. With all three of the Suns' big three healthy, expect good things out of the Suns on Tuesday. Fantasy managers and DFS managers should all aim to have Beal in their lineups.

Dean Wade Mon Dec 2 7:40pm

Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (ankle) has been sidelined since November 17 with an ankle issue, and it looked like he would miss Tuesday's game as well. However, he was upgraded to questionable and could be ready to rejoin the Cavs' bench. He was in Cleveland's second unit for his last six games, producing 3.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while playing 19.7 minutes per game. While he has been out, Isaac Okoro and Georges Niang have played expanded roles, and they will have their roles reduced when Wade returns. All three have struggled to produce many impact games, though, when the Cavs are at full strength.

Jusuf Nurkic Mon Dec 2 7:40pm

Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (thigh) is listed as out for Tuesday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs. Nurkic is dealing with a thigh contusion that's forced him to miss two games now. The Suns' big man has battled injuries this season and this will be his fourth contest overall he's been unable to suit up for. In his absence, expect Mason Plumlee to get the start. Plumlee has not been a great offensive threat, only scoring in double-digits once in his four starts in Nurkic's place. Instead, he will drive more value from a rebounding perspective. Fantasy managers needing help with rebounds should consider adding Plumlee.

Kyle Lowry Mon Dec 2 7:30pm

76ers guard Kyle Lowry (hip) appears to be on the verge of returning to the floor for Philly on Tuesday's game in Charlotte. Lowry has missed the last five games with a right hip strain, but before that, he was a regular fixture in the starting lineup. Lowry averaged 6.2 points, 3.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 24.2 minutes per game while starting 10 of his 13 games. With Tyrese Maxey back from his injury and the emergence of rookie Jared McCain, Lowry could play a reduced role even when he's healthy.

Taurean Prince Mon Dec 2 7:30pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Taurean Prince (quad) is listed as probable for Tuesday night's game against the Detroit Pistons. Prince is dealing with a right quad contusion but it isn't hindering his abilities enough to hold him out. The 30-year-old is leading the league in three-point percentage, hitting threes at a 54.2% clip though at a fairly limited volume. He went three-for-eight against Detroit in their last meeting, showing the potential for a higher ceiling against the Pistons. He also grabbed 10 rebounds in that game, well above his season average of 4.6 RPG. He makes an intriguing DFS option for Tuesday night that DFS players should consider.

Reggie Jackson Mon Dec 2 7:20pm

76ers guard Reggie Jackson (knee) is probable for Tuesday's NBA Emirates Cup matchup in Charlotte. Jackson missed Saturday's game in Detroit but had been playing significant minutes off the bench before the injury. Jackson had seven points and matched his season-high with four assists in 12 minutes against the Clippers. With Kyle Lowry (hip) also probable, the Sixers' backcourt will be crowded for this matchup with Charlotte, making both veterans hard to count on for fantasy purposes.

Marjon Beauchamp Mon Dec 2 7:20pm

Milwaukee Bucks guard MarJon Beauchamp (hamstring) is listed as probable for Tuesday night's matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Beauchamp is dealing with a lingering hamstring issue that's affected his ability to suit up this year. The 24-year-old has missed eight of the Bucks' 19 games this season and has averaged just 1.6 PPG. He's not getting many minutes off the bench, only having two games where he's been on the floor for five or more minutes. With Milwaukee's other options at guard all being relatively healthy, don't expect Beauchamp to make any realistic impact on Tuesday.

Caleb Martin Mon Dec 2 7:10pm

76ers forward Caleb Martin (back) was listed as probable for Tuesday's matchup against his former team, the Hornets. Martin has started 15 of his 16 games for the Sixers this season but missed the last two games with upper back soreness. He was limited in his most recent game but averaged 10.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while logging 33.3 minutes per contest. Martin will likely return to the starting five, and he could either replace Kelly Oubre Jr. or Andre Drummond (ankle), who has already been ruled out.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Mon Dec 2 7:10pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is probable for Tuesday night's matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Antetokounmpo has been dealing with a knee swelling issue that caused him to miss one game last week, though he returned on Saturday and put up 42 against the Washington Wizards. Expect a huge night from The Greek Freak on Tuesday against the Pistons. In his only matchup against Detroit this season he put up a season high 59 points to go along with 14 rebounds and seven assists. He's a must start in all formats.

Mark Williams Mon Dec 2 7:00pm

Hornets center Mark Williams (foot) has missed the first 20 games of the season, but he was listed as questionable for Tuesday's game with the 76ers. Williams has not played in an NBA game since December 8 of last year when a back injury cut short his second NBA season. In his 19 games before the injury, Williams averaged 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 26.7 minutes per game. He rehabbed his back but picked up a foot injury in training camp that has kept him sidelined. He can be excellent when healthy at full strength, but he'll likely be playing severely limited minutes after such a long layoff.

Tre Mann Mon Dec 2 6:50pm

Hornets guard Tre Mann (back) will miss his sixth straight game on Tuesday when the Hornets face the Sixers in Charlotte. With both Mann and LaMelo Ball (calf) out at least two weeks, the Hornets will rely on Vasilije Micic to run point and Brandon Miller to pick up heavy usage. Micic has started the last two games for the Hornets, both narrow defeats. In his first start, he had nine points and eight assists in 31 minutes against the Knicks, and he followed that with 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists against the Hawks. Micic is a solid play for as long as Mann and Ball are sidelined.

Brandon Ingram Mon Dec 2 6:30pm

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (calf) is not ready to return to the lineup on Monday against Atlanta. The initial signs were encouraging regarding Ingram's potential return, but it has been confirmed that he will be absent for a fifth straight game. Ingram's absence will secure another start for Javonte Green. The veteran forward has not been a good option for fantasy managers, averaging 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds in a starting role. With Ingram on the shelf, the offense will continue to run throw CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray.

Jimmy Butler Mon Dec 2 6:30pm

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (knee) will miss Monday's battle against Boston. Miami completes a back-to-back set, and its veteran star gets the night off due to knee soreness. Butler's absence boosts the fantasy value of Haywood Highsmith and Jaime Jaquez Jr. The latter will replace Butler in the starting unit on Monday, logging his first start of the campaign. Last season, Jaquez Jr. averaged 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 steals when he rolled with the starters.

Andre Drummond Mon Dec 2 6:30pm

76ers center Andre Drummond (ankle) was listed as out for Tuesday's NBA Emirates Cup game against the Hornets. Since Joel Embiid (knee/personal) is also out, the Sixers will be short-handed at center, meaning both teams could play very small. Guerschon Yabusele will likely get most of the minutes at center and has produced 0.94 DraftKings points and 0.91 FanDuel points per minute in his time with Drummond and Embiid off the floor. In the one game without Embiid and Drummond this year, Yabusele played 31 minutes and totaled 10 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and a steal against the Cavaliers.

Cam Reddish Mon Dec 2 6:10pm

Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Cam Reddish (illness) will return from a one-game absence on Monday versus Minnesota. The 25-year-old couldn't play on Sunday against Utah due to an illness. Reddish has averaged 3.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals across 20.5 minutes this season. He might get a bit more extra work on Monday due to Austin Reaves' (pelvis) absence, but Reddish doesn't usually provide fantasy value. With him back in the fold, Max Christie likely loses minutes. He logged 30 minutes in Sunday's 105-104 win, registering 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists.

Jaylen Brown Mon Dec 2 6:10pm

Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown (illness) will be in the lineup on Monday against Miami. He's back in action after missing Sunday's tilt against Cleveland with an illness. Brown was also in danger of missing Monday's game, as the team considered him questionable for the clash, but he has been upgraded to available. The reigning Finals MVP has been fairly inconsistent this month, but he should get plenty of shots up on Monday, with Boston missing many of its regulars.

Austin Reaves Mon Dec 2 6:00pm

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (pelvis) will miss a second consecutive game on Monday against Minnesota. He is considered day-to-day with a left pelvic contusion. Reaves' absence on Sunday versus Utah gave Gabe Vincent a chance to start. He had a solid but unspectacular game with 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Vincent will rejoin the second unit on Monday, with D'Angelo Russell (illness) returning to action against his former team as a starter.

Cade Cunningham Mon Dec 2 6:00pm

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (hip) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Cunningham appears to be ready to return after missing four of the last five games due to a lingering hip issue. The expectation is that Cunningham will be a full-go for this game, so fantasy managers can get him back in there. Malik Beasley figures to head back to the bench and will lose some streaming appeal with Cunningham healthy again.

D'Angelo Russell Mon Dec 2 6:00pm

Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell (illness) will rejoin the action on Monday against Minnesota and is set to start the game. Each of Russell's last 11 appearances has come off the bench, but he will fill in for Austin Reaves (pelvis) in the first unit on Monday. As a starter, Russell averaged 12.0 points, 5.8 assists, and 1.0 steals early in the season. He faces a tricky matchup on Monday, as the Timberwolves allow the eighth-fewest fantasy points in the league to opposing point guards.


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