MASON PLUMLEE

Jayson Tatum had 51 points including seven 3-pointers, and the Boston Celtics defeated the Charlotte Hornets for the second time in three days, 130-118.

Despite strong plays by Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter, Jr., Orlando Magic lost its Monday night match against the Charlotte Hornets 105-112, bringing the team to ten losses for the season.

By Gabe Allen, RotoWireSpecial to Yahoo SportsFantasy basketball managers have a lot to be grateful for these days. A week ago, the waiver wire seemed like it had hit its first legitimate lull. Plus, he’s averaging almost a minute per game less than last season through 12 games. He averages 9.1 points (on 60.3 percent shooting from the field), 9.1 boards and 4.2 assists in about 26 minutes per night. He has made a significant leap as a distributor, having averaged a career-best 2.9 dimes in over 28 minutes per game last season.

By Mike Barner, RotoWireSpecial to Yahoo SportsWe've seen star players miss plenty of games because of injuries this fantasy season, including James Harden (foot), LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Kawhi Leonard (knee). In that case, it can make sense to fill out your bench by stashing players now who could be one injury away from being significant fantasy contributors. Despite only playing 16 minutes per game this season, he’s provided averages of 8.0 points, 9.4 rebounds and 0.9 steals. If he were to miss any significant stretch of games again, Jones would vault to another level in fantasy. Adding Fultz now could pay off for fantasy managers who need a boost in assists.

LaMelo Ball left a preseason game on Monday with an ankle injury and is expected to miss the start of the regular season with a Grade 2 sprain, The Athletic's Shams Charania reports. He stepped on the foot of Wizards forward Anthony Gill on a drive and rolled his left ankle. LaMelo Ball apparently went down with a left ankle injury vs. the Wizards. LaMelo heading to the locker room after rolling his left ankle after coming down on a Wizards player. Wizards center Kristaps Porzingis also left the game with an ankle sprain.

The Charlotte Hornets say All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball will have an MRI on his injured left ankle.

LaMelo Ball left a preseason game on Monday with an ankle injury, leaving the Charlotte Hornets unclear about his status with the start of the regular season looming. He stepped on the foot of Wizards forward Anthony on a drive and rolled his left ankle. LaMelo Ball apparently went down with a left ankle injury vs. the Wizards. LaMelo heading to the locker room after rolling his left ankle after coming down on a Wizards player. Ball wasn't the only star to injure his ankle in the game.

Miles Bridges’ future with the Charlotte Hornets remains uncertain as the team opens training camp on Tuesday.

NBA Free Agency Basketball FILE - Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal, center, goes to the basket against Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier, left, and center Mason Plumlee (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, in Washington. The NBA's free agency period opens Thursday night, June 30, 2022, with teams and players finally free to negotiate new deals. NBA NUMBERSThe NBA set the new salary cap, luxury tax and other numbers that will be used this coming season and go into effect Friday. Morey, Tucker and Harden were together with the Houston Rockets; Harden declared free agency Wednesday with the intention of coming back to Philadelphia. BAGLEY STAYINGDetroit moved quickly to lock up restricted free agent Marvin Bagley III, agreeing to keep him with a three-year, $37 million deal.

Terry Rozier scored 31 points and the Charlotte Hornets beat San Antonio 123-117 on Saturday night, leaving Spurs coach Gregg Popovich a victory short of tying the NBA record. San Antonio has lost four straight since beating Washington on Feb. 25 to move Popovich within one of Don Nelson’s record of 1,335 regular-season victories. LaMelo Ball added 24 points for Charlotte, P.J. Washington and Montrezl Harrell each had 15 and Mason Plumlee had 13 rebounds.

Miles Bridges had 26 points, Ish Smith provided a huge boost off the bench with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting and the Charlotte Hornets held off the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers 117-114 on Friday night.

Moritz Wagner scored a season-high 26 points, younger brother Franz added 19 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Charlotte Hornets 116-109 to snap a 10-game losing streak.

Suns Hornets Basketball Phoenix Suns forward Jalen Smith dunks over Charlotte Hornets center Mason Plumlee during the second half of an NBA basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) (Chris Carlson)CHARLOTTE, N.C. — (AP) — Devin Booker scored 24 points, Jalen Smith tied a career high with 19 points and 12 rebounds and the short-handed Phoenix Suns hammered the Charlotte Hornets 133-99 on Sunday night. The Suns made 17 shots from beyond the 3-point arc and outrebounded the Hornets 52-35. Despite missing more than 48 combined points per game from players who were out, the Suns bolted to a 73-47 halftime lead behind 20 points from Booker and 10-of-22 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc. TIP INSSuns: Abdel Nader also is out because of health and safety protocols. Hornets: Miles Bridges had 10 points in his first game back from health and safety protocols.

Devin Booker scored 24 points, Jalen Smith tied a career high with 19 points and 12 rebounds and the short-handed Phoenix Suns hammered the Charlotte Hornets 133-99.

Four Charlotte Hornets players, including last year’s Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball, have been placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Saturday, an indicator they have tested positive of the coronavirus.

Terry Rozier had a big jump-ball win and made two late free throws to help the Charlotte Hornets snap the Golden State Warriors’ winning streak at seven, 106-102 on Sunday night.

A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a multiyear contract extension with coach James Borrego.

Mo Bamba had 22 points and 15 rebounds — both career highs — and the Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 119-112.

LaMelo Ball returned from a 21-game absence with 11 points, leading the Charlotte Hornets to a 107-94 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) keeps the ball away from Detroit Pistons center Mason Plumlee in the first half during an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper)ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic have traded Nikola Vučević to the Chicago Bulls, according to ESPN. The news was first reported Thursday morning by ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski. Orlando is trading Nikola Vucevic Al-Farouq Aminu to Chicago, sources tell ESPN. Here's the deal: The Bulls land Nikola Vucevic and Al Farouq Aminu for Otto Porter, Wendell Carter Jr., and two first-round picks. They get one with All-Star center Nikola Vucevic, who's been a pillar with Orlando.

USA Basketball is a step closer to choosing the team that will play in this summer’s rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, releasing the names Thursday of 57 players who are part of the pool to fill the squad. It’s also already drawing major interest from some NBA stars who have yet to taste Olympic gold. USA Basketball will pare the list to a 12-person Olympic team by early summer. Jordan, who now plays for Brooklyn, is also a newcomer to the pool even though he was on the 2016 Olympic team. “But for USA Basketball to receive the commitment of so many outstanding players remains an indicator of the great honor of representing your country means to these men.”

Phoenix’s Chris Paul is an All-Star for the 11th time, and Brooklyn’s James Harden is one for the ninth consecutive year. The rest of the reserves include Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic from the Eastern Conference, along with the Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George, Utah teammates Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, and Portland’s Damian Lillard from the Western Conference. Williamson is 20, and only Kobe Bryant, James and Magic Johnson were younger in their All-Star debuts. But this will be his first time in the All-Star Game itself. AdCOACHESUtah’s Quin Snyder will coach Team LeBron, and Philadelphia’s Doc Rivers will coach Team Durant.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Nikola Vucevic had 37 points and 11 rebounds, Evan Fournier added a season-high 29 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 105-96 on Sunday night. Vucevic had his seventh 30-point game of the season, two days after his third career triple-double. Fournier, who scored 28 points in Orlando’s victory over Golden State on Friday night, had 16 first-half points. Jerami Grant bounced back from his poorest shooting game of the season in Memphis on Friday by scoring 24 points for the Pistons. AdHEROES HONOREDThe Magic honored 500 frontline workers from AdventHealth and the Orlando community on Sunday as part of their “Healthcare Heroes Night.”

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks to shoot as Detroit Pistons center Mason Plumlee (24) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT – LeBron James made his first seven shots from the field and looked plenty capable of leading the Lakers to a victory with Anthony Davis sidelined. James scored just two points after halftime, and the Detroit Pistons handed Los Angeles its second straight loss, 107-92 on Thursday night. "We just didn’t have a great rhythm that second half in any way.”Wayne Ellington added 20 points for the Pistons. Pistons: Detroit made all 13 of its free throws.

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, right, drives against Detroit Pistons center Mason Plumlee during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)Jayson Tatum hit a fallaway as Blake Griffin stumbled with 2.9 seconds left, then tied up the Detroit veteran on the other end to help the Boston Celtics beat the Pistons 122-120 on Sunday for a weekend split. Mykhailiuk scored eight straight Detroit points, and the Pistons took a 118-117 lead on Mason Plumlee’s free throws with 42.2 seconds left. Grant scored 22 points for the Pistons, netting at least that mark for a career-best fifth straight game. … Griffin returned for the Pistons after missing a game in the NBA’s concussion protocol.

Harrell ended the two-year run of teammate Lou Williams who finished third and gave the Clippers four winners in the last five years. Harrell and Williams helped the Clippers have the leagues highest-scoring bench for the second straight season. Harrell received 58 first-place votes from a panel of 100 sports writers and broadcasters, earning 397 points. Dennis Schroder of Oklahoma City was second with 35 first-place votes and 328 points, while Williams got the other seven first-place votes and 127 points. Harrell didn't play during that after leaving the team because of his grandmother's death, but returned to help the Clippers into the second round of the playoffs.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Kyle Kuzma hit a 3-pointer with .4 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 124-121 Monday night to snap a three-game losing streak. Dozier had a chance to put the Nuggets up by one with 4.4 seconds left but missed the second of two free throws. Kuzma rebounded and the Lakers called timeout to set up the winning play. James had given the Lakers a 121-119 lead by converting a 3-point play with 45.7 seconds to go. Lakers: Play the Sacramento Kings on Thursday in their final bubble game.