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sports Wednesday 1 March 2023
LaMelo Ball breaks ankle, latest setback in rough season

By STEVE REED ford didn’t say how long
AP Sports Writer Ball would be out. But given
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — the severity of the injury and
LaMelo Ball’s frustrating, in- the fact the Hornets only
jury-plagued season could have 19 games remaining
be over after the point and are not in contention
guard broke his right ankle for the playoffs, it seems un-
in Charlotte’s 117-106 win likely the team would rush
over the Detroit Pistons on him back.
Monday night. “The only thing you can do
Ball has already missed 27 is watch the film, learn from
games this season after he it and then focus on what
sprained his left ankle on we have to do tomorrow
three separate occasions, in practice to get ready for
beginning in the preseason. (the next game). Unfortu-
He and the Hornets (20-43) nately, we’re experienced
were playing their best bas- at playing without all of
ketball of the season be- them, so it’s not like it’s go-
fore the point guard fell to ing to be brand new,” Clif-
the floor on a non-contact ford said. “It’s tough, too,
play in the third quarter. because he was starting to
X-rays revealed the frac- play so well, and the team
ture to Ball’s ankle. obviously was playing bet-
“It sucks,” Hornets swing- Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball holds his ankle after being shaken up on a play during the ter and better. They’re not
man Gordon Hayward second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, going to wait for us.” Hay-
Feb. 27, 2023.
said, shaking his head. “In- Associated Press ward said he texted Ball
juries are the worst part of after the game, but hadn’t
the game.” Ball had en- arc against the Pistons. we’ve gone through the work off a screen from cen- spoken with him. “I think
tered the game with five Charlotte’s five-game win whole year, not being able ter Mark Williams beyond that is the most important
straight double-doubles streak was the team’s lon- to build that out on the the 3-point arc when he fell thing when you are injured
and appeared on his way gest of the season. court with different guys to the ground. He grabbed — stay positive and have
to another with 18 points, “We were starting to figure being injured. Him at the the loose ball and passed a good support system
six rebounds and five assists it out as a team,” Hayward beginning of the season, to Williams, who found a around you including your
before leaving with 9:26 left said. “He and I were start- then me right after that, teammate for a score. teammates, family and
in the period. ing to build (chemistry). I and now him again. It’s Ball was taken to the locker friends,” said Hayward, who
He was also shooting the think me personally, I was been back and forth with room. Hayward said players broke an ankle on an awk-
ball extremely well from starting to build a good re- different people through figured he had “tweaked ward landing in 2017 while
deep, having made 47.3% lationship with him on the the year, which is tough.” something,” not knowing playing for Boston. “He’s
(27 of 57) of his 3-point shots court and we were find- Ball had just dribbled be- the extent of the injury until young and he will bounce
over the last five games. He ing easy buckets for each hind his back and ap- after the game. back but it is always tough
was 6 of 7 from beyond the other. Some of that is what peared to be setting up to Hornets coach Steve Clif- in the moment.”q

Rafael Nadal out of Indian Wells,

Miami with injured hip

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) back ... in the best condi- in late May.
— Rafael Nadal pulled tions.” Nadal has won 14 of his
out of the upcoming hard- He is a three-time winner major titles at Roland Gar-
court tournaments at In- and reached the 2022 ros, including last year
dian Wells and Miami on final at the BNP Paribas while dealing with chronic
Tuesday because of the Open in California, where pain in his left foot. He then
left hip flexor injury that the men begin main-draw made it to the semifinals
has sidelined him since the play on March 8. That will at Wimbledon but did not
Australian Open. be followed by the Miami play in that round at the
The 22-time Grand Slam Open, another Masters All England Club because
champion tweeted about 1000 tournament, where of an abdominal injury.
his withdrawals, which ATP action starts on March And then, in January In this Jan. 23, 2018, file photo, Spain’s Rafael Nadal answers
were expected but still 22 and Nadal last com- at Melbourne Park, the questions at a press conference after retiring injured from his
raise questions about peted in 2017. He has 36-year-old from Spain quarterfinal against Croatia’s Marin Cilic at the Australian
when he will be able to re- never won the title there hurt his hip flexor during Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia.
Associated Press
turn to action. and is a five-time runner- a second-round loss to
“Took my time off, started up, including two losses Mackenzie McDonald of
rehab, gym and physio- apiece in finals against the United States. Nadal has lost seven of his this week. The longer he is
therapy as instructed by rivals Roger Federer and An MRI exam the next day past nine matches, dating out, the more he will drop
the doctors,” Nadal wrote Novak Djokovic. revealed the extent of the to a fourth-round defeat — including because he
as part of a thread on Twit- After Miami, the men’s injury. Nadal and his man- at the U.S. Open in Sep- will not be defending the
ter that included videos tennis circuit shifts to the ager said at the time that tember, and the former points he earned at In-
showing him in the gym. European red clay, lead- the usual recovery time is No. 1-ranked player slid to dian Wells a year ago by
“Getting ready to come ing up to the French Open about six to eight weeks. No. 8 in the ATP standings reaching the final.q