Hornets All-Star Walker (neck strain) leaves late

One day after being named an All-Star starter for the first time in his career, Hornets guard Kemba Walker was forced to leave Charlotte's game Friday night with a minor neck injury. Walker departed the game, a 108-99 Hornets loss, with 2:06 remaining after sustaining what the team called a neck strain in a scrum for a loose ball, in which Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo landed on top of him. After being down on the court for a few minutes, Walker headed straight to the locker room.

"So far he's OK," head coach James Borrego told reporters after the game. "We'll know more, but so far indications are that he is going to be OK." Walker, a three-time All-Star, was held to just 10 points in the defeat, which is 15 below his season scoring average. Walker's 25.0 points-per-game average ranked 12th in the NBA entering Friday's action and would be a career-high for the eighth-year veteran.

The Hornets are idle until Monday, when they host New York. --Field Level Media