Charlotte Hornets DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball (wrist) will play on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Ball missed the first leg of a back-to-back on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers due to a wrist injury. However, he has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of Saturday's game. Ball's return sends Vasilije Micic back to the bench. Micic put up 12 points with three assists on Friday, but he generally struggles to make an impact as a member of the second unit.

Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry (ankle) will miss Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He has been downgraded from questionable to out as Curry nurses an ankle sprain. Although Curry has not played a significant role with the Hornets, the team will miss his three-point shooting, which could help open up the floor. Friday marks the beginning of a back-to-back for Charlotte, so Curry may miss multiple games in quick succession.

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (back) will not suit up on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. He has been ruled out for the game after being initially considered questionable. Bridges' exit from the lineup gives Cody Martin and Josh Okogie a chance to play expanded roles. Charlotte will also be without LaMelo Ball (wrist), leaving the team without two of its top three scorers. This will open up many additional scoring opportunities for the rest of the crew.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (wrist) will not play against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. He picked up a questionable tag on the initial injury report and has been ruled out of the contest ahead of tip-off. Ball's absence should allow Vasilije Micic to shine again. The former EuroLeague star has made 11 starts with Ball out this season, averaging 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists. Portland allows the fourth-most fantasy points to point guards, so this is also a fantastic matchup for Micic.

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (back) has picked up a questionable tag for Friday's matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers. In their last game on Wednesday, Bridges clocked 34 minutes on the court and posted 17 points, six assists, five rebounds, and one steal. If he's unable to suit up for this one, Cody Martin (probable - groin) should see some extra time, and new addition Josh Okogie could see some big opportunities. Okogie could even turn into a long-term option for a lot of leagues since he'll likely see more minutes than recent seasons with the Phoenix Suns.