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Is LaMelo Ball Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Hawks vs. Hornets)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has missed the team's last three games with an ankle injury, but he's officially listed as questionable on Thursday night against the Atlanta Hawks.
LaMelo Ball (ankle) questionable for Thursday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) December 17, 2025
Ball has been in and out of the lineup this season and for most of his NBA career, and ankle issues have been one of the main things that have plagued the former top-three pick. This season, Ball has appeared in just 16 games, averaging 19.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game while shooting just 38.6 percent from the field and 28.5 percent from 3-point range.
The Hornets are home underdogs to the Hawks on Thursday with Ball's status up in the air, and bettors are going to want to wait for his official status before trusting Charlotte in this matchup.
There is a player prop that I like for the Hornets with Ball questionable, especially since the star guard has played less than 30 minutes in nine of his last 10 games.
Best Hornets Prop Bet vs. Hawks
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Kon Knueppel 18+ Points (-132)
Rookie guard Kon Knueppel has been awesome for the Hornets this season, as he's averaging 19.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Ball's status is clearly in question again on Thursday, and Knueppel has thrived when the star guard is out of the lineup. This season, he's averaging 22.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 10 games with Ball sidelined, and he could be in line for a major workload on Thursday.
Knueppel also had 28 points on 9-of-17 shooting in his last matchup with the Hawks, and he's scored 18 or more points in 16 of his 26 games overall this season.
I'll buy the rookie to hit his season average in this Eastern Conference clash.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.