Is LaMelo Ball playing tonight against Lakers? Latest on Hornets point guard's availability (Jan. 9)

The Charlotte Hornets will face the LA Lakers on Thursday, with rising star LaMelo Ball ready to take the court. For the third consecutive game, LaMelo is absent from the Hornets' injury report and is poised to put on a show in Tinseltown.

The young point guard recently missed three straight games due to a left calf strain but has since returned to action, playing in Charlotte’s last two games.

LaMelo delivered a stellar performance against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, helping the Hornets secure a 115-104 victory. In 35 minutes, he recorded 32 points on 12 of 28 shooting, including 5 of 16 from beyond the arc, along with 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

While basketball fans eagerly anticipate LaMelo's matchup against the Lakers in "Hollywood," there remains a possibility that the game could be canceled due to the ongoing wildfires currently affecting Los Angeles.

“We are in communication with the Lakers and Hornets and continue to closely monitor the situation to determine if any scheduling adjustments are necessary related to tomorrow night’s game,” NBA's spokesperson Mike Bass said, per insider Shams Charania.

This will be the first meeting of the season between the Hornets and the Lakers. When it comes to LaMelo Ball's track record against the Purple and Gold, the star point guard has consistently delivered impressive performances.

In five career games against the Lakers, LaMelo has averaged 23.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.8 steals.

Where to watch Charlotte Hornets vs. LA Lakers?

The Charlotte Hornets vs. LA Lakers game is scheduled to take place on Thursday, Jan. 9, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The game will tip off at 10:30 p.m. EST (7:30 p.m. PT).

The Hornets vs. Lakers game will be telecast live FanDuel Sports Network Southeast - Charlotte (local) and Spectrum SportsNet (local). Hoops fans will also have the option to stream the game live on the NBA League Pass and Fubo TV app and website (regional restrictions may apply).