Tonight, the Charlotte Hornets will return home to Spectrum Center looking to snap a two-game skid against Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James will be out for this one, but the Hornets are still shorthanded with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller on the shelf.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is expected to return from a groin injury for Monday's road game against the Charlotte Hornets after missing the last three games.

LaMelo Ball will not lace up his sneakers to play in the Charlotte Hornets vs LA Lakers game on Monday. Ball is on the sidelines for the fourth straight game due to a right ankle impingement.

The Los Angeles Lakers will look to redeem themselves on Monday after a brutal 122-102 blowout loss to the Atlanta Hawks. That season-worst defeat was so rough

Norman Powell scored 25 points and the Miami Heat enjoyed a record-setting first quarter on the way to a 126-108 victory over the Charlotte Hornets in an NBA Cup game Friday night, giving coach Erik Spoelstra a win a day after his home burned down.

The Charlotte Hornets have a logical trade chip that they could cash in on this season instead of waiting for next summer.

At this point, Charlotte and LaMelo may be better off going their separate ways. Ball was ruled out for Monday night's home tilt against the Los Angeles Lakers, marking his fourth consecutive game missed to do an ankle impingement.

Even as the Hornets coach is doing more juggling than a clown at a 2-year-old’s birthday party — partly because of LaMelo Ball’s three-game absence nursing a right ankle impingement and now Collin Sexton being a bit banged up — he remains as positive as always, assuring in his usual fashion that things will be just fine in the long run.