Charlotte Hornets coach James Borrego didn’t anticipate rookie LaMelo Ball being this good this fast.
Which makes his right wrist fracture — likely a season-ending injury — all the tougher to digest.
“He’s put us in the win column more than I, or anybody, anticipated,” Borrego said Monday afternoon. “He’s really had a major impact on us winning games this season. His play on the court (is huge), but also his spirit in the locker room — how he inspires us all to be better.”
An MRI in San Antonio on Sunday night revealed Ball broke a bone in his right wrist. That presumably happened when he took a hard fall with about five minutes left in Saturday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Borrego said Ball will be out for “an extended period.” While the team hasn’t formally ruled out Ball playing again this season, pending additional medical advice, that is the presumption.
LAMELO BALL — TOP NBA ROOKIE SO FAR
Ball has been the best rookie in the NBA over the first three months of this season. He entered the Hornets’ starting lineup 21 games ago, and has been one of — if not the — best Charlotte players in that span.
Ball’s upbeat personality has also rubbed off positively on a team that has gone four seasons without a playoff appearance.
“Everybody around him in the gym is inspired to do their jobs better,” Borrego said. “Everybody enjoys the moments with the team more when he’s around.”
Borrego said he anticipates Ball being the Hornets’ “No. 1 cheerleader” while he recovers from this injury. Typically, wrist fractures take at least eight weeks to heal, which would roughly coincide with the rest of the NBA regular season.
The Hornets are in a playoff race, in eighth place in the Eastern Conference at 20-21 heading into Monday night’s road game against the Spurs.
Borrego said that as important as 6-foot-7 point guard Ball is, the Hornets still have enough in the backcourt to stay playoff-viable. Devonte Graham figures to move back into the starting lineup.
Borrego said the toughest thing to replace tactically in Ball’s absence is his ability to create transition scoring opportunities with his dribbling and passing.
“The biggest thing for Melo is just his ability to push the pace,” Borrego said. “LaMelo, just by himself, was really creating a lot of offense for us in transition. We could see a little bit of a drop-off there.”
That will put a greater burden on the Hornets to score in more settled half-court situations. The top three available perimeter players — Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier and Graham — will largely carry that load, with some help off the bench from Malik Monk.
“We may become more half-court than anything, but we still have to find opportunities to get out and run,” Borrego said. “We’re going to have to get a little bit more creative in the half-court.”
Borrego said he doesn’t see an immediate need to trade for or sign another ball-handling guard. He said Monk, Cody and Caleb Martin and Jalen McDaniels could all see increased minutes as the team absorbs the loss of Ball.
JAMES BORREGO SAW “DISCOMFORT” IN LAMELO BALL SECOND HALF
The Hornets had an X-ray taken of Ball’s wrist after the first half fall Saturday. That X-ray showed no fracture; often an MRI — which isn’t as quick or readily available — is necessary to get a full picture of the bones in a wrist.
Borrego said he could see Ball playing in increasing discomfort in the second half of the Clippers game, which was a factor in Ball playing only 8 1/2 minutes after halftime.
On the play where he was apparently injured, Ball drove to the rim among three Clippers, put up a layup, then broke his fall with both his hands just beyond the baseline. The Mayo Clinic says the most typical incidents that cause wrist fractures are reaching out with hands to break falls.
Ball could be seen holding his wrist and grimacing as he took free throws after that drive. He favored his right (dominant) hand the rest of the first half, sometimes throwing long look-ahead passes with his left arm.
Borrego said he spoke with Ball on Sunday night and there was a bit of a “pity party” as the coaches and players absorbed the bad news.
“I feel horrible for LaMelo, more than anything,” Borrego said. “He’s going to be our biggest cheerleader (while injured). He’s a curious young man who wants to be great.”
