LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges ruled out for Friday’s game against Portland

Will Palaszczuk: It’s called a winning streak. @hornets win their third in a row, 110-105 over the Dallas Mavericks. 23 apiece from Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball, 19 from Nick Smith, Jr. & a 13 point/13 rebound game from Mark Williams. Postgame next on @wfnz! -via Twitter / January 20, 2025

With Ball sidelined for the third straight game due to a combination of left ankle and right wrist soreness, joining Brandon Miller on the bench in street clothes, he was powerless during the Hornets’ 111-108 overtime loss at Spectrum Center. Now, the magic number still sits at three — as in the amount of occasions the Ball brothers have been healthy enough to lock horns. “I think they are too nice to each other,” Miles Bridges said. “I think they don’t like playing against each other. But nah, you want to see them play against each other. They are both very talented and they grew up together. So, you would love those types of matchups. “Hopefully the next time we play against the Bulls, they’ll be able to play against each other.” -via Charlotte Observer / December 31, 2024

Rod Boone: Final: Bulls 115, #Hornets 108 (OT) Miles Bridges 31 pts, 12 rebs, 8 asts Mark Williams 20 pts, 12 rebs Seth Curry 17 pts Josh Green 14 pts, 6 rebs Up next: at Detroit on Friday -via Twitter @rodboone / December 30, 2024

According to Spotrac, the Hornets are tied for sixth in the NBA in “games missed due to injury” this season. That’s not good, but Brooklyn, Memphis, New Orleans, Oklahoma City and the L.A. Lakers all have had more. Some of them have had way more. So while the Hornets have had their share of injuries, Oklahoma City, to give just one example, has technically had more “games missed due to injury.” Oklahoma City was also 35-7 as of Monday and No. 1 in the Western Conference by a mile. It can be done. -via Charlotte Observer / January 21, 2025

“He’s a one-man break, puts a lot of pressure on you,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “But his range is in the Steph (Curry) and Dame (Damian Lillard) category, because once he gets over halfcourt he can shoot it. And a lot of those shots have gone in. So, (you) have to be aware of him, and pick him up, also understand his ability to pass. He’s an unselfish player where he will find the open guy and he can hurt you that way, too. “I think just his range has come a lot farther, his ability to score in a hurry. He’s always been a willing passer, but I think he’s also attacking the rim at a high clip here. And so being able to finish is something that he’s doing right now. But I think just being consistent and being healthy. (It’s) being healthy, but the skillset is there for him now being healthy and being consistent he’s now taking his game to another level.” -via Charlotte Observer / January 21, 2025

Joey Mistretta: Kyrie Irving is a fan of LaMelo Ball. “He comes from a family that has pros… They have a tight-knit group,I feel like that’s led to him being as confident as he is as a young player, playing against older guys and having brothers that beat up on him a little bit.” #MFFL -via x.com / January 20, 2025