LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a five-year max rookie extension. Sports Illustrated’s Maven nationwide As the Charlotte Hornets prepare to travel across three time zones for six games, Steve Clifford acknowledged the situation and gave a brief summary of what they will face during the 11-day trip. “We’re going to have to put together 48 minutes because we’re playing really good teams on this trip,” the coach stated. And attempt to complete the task with one hand once more. Though Gordon Hayward’s departure during the third quarter of Tuesday night’s 113-104 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena undoubtedly didn’t help matters, there was no such luck in the opening act. In addition to being sidelined without LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams, Hayward’s left calf strain added another injury to the Hornets’ never-ending list of casualties. As a result, the veteran was unable to play while Charlotte seized a rare fourth-quarter lead. At Crypto.com Arena, guard LaMelo Ball (1) of the Charlotte Hornets observes action from the sidelines as the team plays the Los Angeles Clippers in the first half. Vasquez, Gary A. USA TODAY NETWORK Clifford remarked, “They brought James Harden back into the game.” “He was the game’s best player. We made good use of the time he was absent. We were unable to keep an eye on him when he returned inside. We made every effort possible. He essentially destroyed every aspect of it.He was therefore out, and we were safe. The game changed when he returned. Put another way, it was just another ordinary Hornets (7-21) night that saw the team spiral out of control during the season. PJ Washington stated, “I think we had a lot of mistakes at the end of the fourth quarter that obviously led to our loss.” However, overall, we had a fantastic game. Thus, even though we still have a lot to work on, we performed better than before. Following their eighth consecutive defeat, we discovered the following three facts about Charlotte: TEMPORARY SUMMARY OF THE HACK ATTACK Fouling continues to be a dual problem. The Hornets are making far too many mistakes on defense in addition to not drawing enough of them on offense. Sending the Clippers to the free-throw line nine more times was a game-ending move for a team that is 25th in the NBA in terms of the percentage of points it scores from free throws (14.4). If the Hornets are to have a realistic chance of winning despite all of their injury problems, they cannot continue to commit 23 fouls as opposed to the 14 that the Clippers were called for. Specifically, the reserves are unable to acquire any at a low cost. Clifford remarked, “To be honest, we were hurt by PJ getting his second in the first half because he was great.” “He brought a lot of energy to the game right away and had a significant impact. After that, it restricted his minutes. Mark Williams stepping up his involvement The Hornets are missing their starting center, don’t you think? Williams is proving that he can be the positional player the team has been looking for for years during his brief stint as the starting big man tossed out with the first unit of the game. Yes, he still has a lot of things to work on, but making more contact and finishing rather than giving up and having his shot blocked is at the top of the list. However, the significance of his presence cannot be overstated. It surpasses his average of 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Nick Richards, who has occasionally filled in admirably for Williams, is forced into his customary reserve role by Williams’s mere presence in the starting lineup, which gives Richards a greater chance to compete with the opposing team’s backup center. Clifford remarked, “If you look at just our numbers, we haven’t won a game since Mark went out.” It merely calls into question the depth of your roster. It’s difficult to lose players who are vital to your team. Williams hasn’t participated in a game in over two weeks. What is the current status with him? “On Tuesday during the morning shootaround, he performed better than he has in a long time,” Clifford remarked. “However, I don’t believe we have a set timeline.” In the first half at Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) moves to the basket against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0). Vasquez, Gary A. LAMELO BALL TIMELINE FOR USA TODAY NETWORK STILL UNCERTAIN Ball is still a regular reserve player for the Hornets, dressed in street clothes rather than a uniform, even though it is evident that he is improving and could return sooner than expected. And when that will alter is still up in the air. Clifford responded, “Yeah, I don’t know what his schedule is, but he’s back on the court now, right from the start.” “I believe he is feeling much better because he is putting a lot of effort into his treatment, rehab, and other activities. However, I’m not sure how close we are. Ball’s special abilities cannot be replicated, and the Hornets simply lack the firepower to compete nightly with the NBA’s top clubs. Ball’s health notwithstanding, Charlotte has an extremely narrow margin of error. Given that their offense started the trip ranked 26th in the league at 110.6 points per game, the Hornets really don’t scare opponents much without him. Though they might occasionally surprise everyone, as they did against the Clippers, maintaining it for four almost flawless quarters is a challenging task.GET MORE NEWS HERE