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Charlotte Hornets: 3 Keys to a Deep Playoff Run

By Wyatt Stroud

Charlotte Hornets LaMelo Ball. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Charlotte Hornets LaMelo Ball. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MARCH 03: Anthony Edwards #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves watches as LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets shoots the ball during the first quarter of the game at Target Center on March 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MARCH 03: Anthony Edwards #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves watches as LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets shoots the ball during the first quarter of the game at Target Center on March 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

The Charlotte Hornets need a healthy LaMelo Ball to compete in the playoffs

Before LaMelo Ball went down with a fractured wrist, there was no debate on who the Rookie of the Year was going to be. Arguably, he still deserves the award even after missing a significant amount of time. He showed flashes of greatness every time he stepped on the hardwood and proved to any doubters that there was good reason behind it behind the hype.

At the time of his injury, the Hornets were tied for 7th place in the Eastern Conference and looked poised to make their first playoff appearance since the 2015-16 campaign. Charlotte maintained well during his absence, even jumping to 4th in the East during one stretch, but the injuries continued to pile up and have made their playoff hopes look bleak at times.

On April 19th, Hornets fans were treated to a very optimistic injury update on Ball. Charlotte announced that Ball’s cast had been removed and a CT scan had shown that the wrist had healed. Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, there is “optimism” that LaMelo could return to game action within 7-10 days of the cast removal.

While setbacks do happen when it comes to injuries, and it is somewhat concerning that the injury was on his shooting hand, the report gives fans a lot to be excited for as the regular season winds down. If Ball is able to return to the same form and display the same future-MVP excellence that we saw out of him in the first half of the season, the Hornets could find themselves as a legitimate threat to opposing teams in the playoffs.

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