Charlotte Hornets’ Nic Batum reinjures left elbow

Charlotte Hornets shooting guard Nic Batum missed the second half of Wednesday’s home game against the Washington Wizards with a contusion on his left elbow.

Batum missed six weeks -- including the Hornets’ first 12 regular-season games -- after tearing a ligament in that same left elbow. The Hornets did not have additional details on Batum’s injury during the game.

Batum returned to action Nov. 15 in a home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He missed the minimum of the six-to-eight week projection the Hornets made for his recovery. He was immediately reinserted into the starting lineup, and averaged 13.5 points 4.5 assists and four rebounds in his first four games back.

Batum could have faced season-ending surgery on his elbow, after being injured in the Hornets’ second preseason exhibition Oct. 4, against the Detroit Pistons. However, a Dallas-based specialist diagnosed that Batum could recover from the injury without surgery.

With Batum out, Hornets coach Steve Clifford started Jeremy Lamb in the second half. Lamb started the Hornets’ first 12 games. He’s the Hornets’ second-leading scorer this season at 16 points per game.

This story was originally published November 22, 2017 at 8:41 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets’ Nic Batum reinjures left elbow."