The Charlotte Hornets will travel to Dallas on Thursday night to take on the Dallas Mavericks, who are fresh off an emotional loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and the former franchise star Luka Dončić.
At the moment, the Hornets hold a 14-43 record, which places them second to last in the Eastern Conference, above the Washington Wizards, who have lost five more games. On the other hand, the Mavericks have had a slightly better season and hold the ninth position in the West with a 31-28 record. Dallas is on a two-game losing streak, while the Hornets have lost four straight since the upset win over the Lakers on Feb. 20.
As the Hornets and Mavericks get ready to face off, fans may be interested in knowing the availability of the stars from both sides, especially with Charlotte star LaMelo Ball having been in and out of the lineup this month. Therefore, let’s take a closer look at the injury report and predicted lineups for the Hornets-Mavericks game.
LaMelo Ball’s Availability for Hornets vs. Mavericks Game
Ball injured his left ankle when he stepped on Jarred Vanderbilt’s foot during the Hornets’ Jan. 27 game against the Lakers. The initial MRI diagnosis showed a sprain in the left ankle, and he was sidelined for a week.
The 23-year-old has been in and out of the lineup since and also missed the Hornets’ last game against the Golden State Warriors. However, Ball is set to be available for Thursday night’s clash against the Mavericks after he didn’t feature in the Hornets’ latest injury report.
Charlotte Hornets Injury Report
- Seth Curry (probable)
- DaQuan Jeffries (questionable)
- Wendell Moore Jr. (questionable)
- Tre Mann (out)
- Josh Okogie (out)
- Tidjane Salaun (out)
- Grant Williams (out)
Hornets Predicted Lineup
- LaMelo Ball
- Nick Smith Jr.
- Josh Green
- Miles Bridges
- Mark Williams
Dallas Mavericks Injury Report
- Daniel Gafford (out)
- P.J. Washington (questionable)
- Caleb Martin (out)
- Dwight Powell (questionable)
- Anthony Davis (out)
- Dereck Lively II (out)
Mavericks Predicted Lineup
- Kyrie Irving
- Klay Thompson
- Jason Kidd
- Dante Exum
- Naji Marshall
The game will kick off at American Airlines Center at 8:30 p.m. ET, with the Mavericks being the pre-game favorites. Ball’s injury has plagued the Hornets’ already disappointing season, and whether he plays or not will be a big factor in Charlotte’s chances of winning this game. He is averaging 26.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in the 36 games he’s played this season.
