Hornets' Stephenson expected to return from pelvis sprain Wednesday
Help is on the way for the suddenly surging Charlotte Hornets.
Winners of a season-high five consecutive games, the Hornets expect to have guard Lance Stephenson available for Wednesday's contest against the San Antonio Spurs, the team announced Tuesday.
Stephenson has participated in team practice for two consecutive days and will go through a shootaround before a final decision is made. He has missed the Hornets' last 14 games with a sprained pelvis and anticipates coming off the bench if he does in fact return.
That means Gerald Henderson is likely to remain with the starting unit for now. Henderson has started the team's last 14 games, averaging 13.4 points on 46.4-percent shooting from the field, four rebounds and 3.8 assists over the stretch.
The Hornets have had a roller-coaster ride since Stephenson went down in mid-December. They won four consecutive games immediately after, then lost five straight before going on their current winning streak, which included an impressive road victory over the Toronto Raptors.
| DATE | OPPONENT | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 3 | @Magic | 98-90 |
| Jan. 5 | @Celtics | 104-95 |
| Jan. 7 | vs. Pelicans | 98-94 |
| Jan. 8 | @Raptors | 103-95 |
| Jan. 10 | @Knicks | 110-82 |
Point guard Kemba Walker has played at a high clip throughout the streak, averaging 30.2 points on 49.5-percent shooting from the field, six rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.4 3-pointers. He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday for his strong performance.
Stephenson, who was struggling with this shot, averaged 10.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 25 games before suffering the pelvic sprain.