LaMelo returns from 7-game absence in loss to 76ers

Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball returned to the lineup Monday in a 121-108 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers after missing the last seven contests with a strained calf.

Ball contributed 15 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, and four steals while shooting 5-of-15 from the field in 26 minutes of action. The Hornets' leading scorer was Miles Bridges, who put up 24.

Tyrese Maxey and Paul George led the Sixers, combining for 73 points. Maxey had a game-high 40 points, while George surpassed 30 for the first time with Philadelphia.

Despite Charlotte getting Ball back, the team lost Brandon Miller early in the fourth quarter with a sprained left ankle.

The former All-Star was in the midst of a breakout year prior to the injury, averaging a career-best 31.1 points while adding 5.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists on 43% shooting ahead of Monday's action.

The 23-year-old was sitting third in the NBA in scoring prior to Monday's contest. He dropped a career-high 50 points on Nov. 23 in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, which he followed just two days later with 44 points in a defeat to the Orlando Magic.

The Hornets went 1-6 without the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year. They now sit 7-19 following Monday's loss and 13th in the Eastern Conference.