Is LaMelo Ball playing tonight against Phoenix Suns? Exploring Hornets star's availability (Jan. 7)

The Charlotte Hornets (7-27) will be able to count upon the team’s top scorer LaMelo Ball on Tuesday when they take on the Phoenix Suns (16-18) at the Spectrum Center. It comes as good news for Coach Charles Lee as the Hornets' injury report has significantly slimmed down in recent weeks. With a nearly fully fit roster, he's likely to rotate a bit to try and stop the losing trot.

LaMelo Ball has been a staple on the injury report but played in the team’s 115-105 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. Ball and Brandon Miller both scored 24 points, tying for a team-high in the loss. Before that game, Ball missed the Hornets' last three matchups due to left ankle and right wrist injuries.

Despite missing 11 of the team's 34 games, he still leads the team in points, assists, and steals, averaging an impressive 29.8 points, 7.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

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LaMelo Ball’s stats vs Phoenix Suns

LaMelo Ball has played just three games against the Phoenix Suns, with a 1-2 record. This will be LaMelo Ball’s first game against the Suns since 2022. The last time he faced them was in January 2022, during the team’s 99-133 loss. He didn’t suit up for the past two seasons’ matchups against the Suns.

Currently, Ball is averaging 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists over three games, with his highest-scoring game being 20 points in 2021.

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What to expect from Phoenix Suns vs Charlotte Hornets

Both teams have been experiencing a rough patch at the moment. The Hornets are currently on a 10-game losing streak. Injuries have plagued the Hornets in recent weeks, but they have sufficient individual quality to defeat the Suns, with healthy LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller at their disposal.

Meanwhile, the Suns looked impressive at one point, but they’ve faltered, losing four of their last five games.

Though their roaster profiles differ considerably, both teams are shown to be remarkably similar this season in many aspects, relying on star players to bail out. Given how many top-quality player options the Suns boast and how much of their play is focused on Kevin Durant, the Hornets’ key tactical niche under Charles Lee appears highly vulnerable in this game.

The Hornets have lost to the Suns in six of their last seven games and have only beaten them once in their last ten meetings. To turn the tides, they need more than just Ball and Miller's magic.