LaMelo Ball enters COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Charlotte Hornets guards LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier have both entered COVID-19 health and safety protocols and are expected to miss several games, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 4, 2021
The Athletic's Shams Charania reports LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier have entered the Covid-19 health and safety protocols. Both players are expected to miss several games as the NBA requires any player who has tested positive to be placed in isolation for a minimum of ten days. Expect Ish Smith and Kelly Oubre to pick up extra minutes in Charlotte's backcourt. Ball leads the Hornets in scoring, averaging 20 points a game, with 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists. Rozier is third in team-scoring averaging 17.7 points per game, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Losing two players that average over 32 minutes a game will significantly affect Charlotte's ability to compete. The Hornets are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference and lead the NBA in points per game with 114.9. Charlotte also placed Jalen McDaniels and Mason Plumlee on the Covid-19 list.
It's difficult to downplay how much of a loss this is for the Hornets, and it'll affect the lines for every game moving forward until all of their players can return to the lineup.
