Cody Zeller Injury: Updates on Hornets Forward's Shoulder and Return

Hornets forward Cody Zeller is set to return after missing one game with a strained shoulder. 

Continue for updates. 

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Zeller Back vs. Knicks

Saturday, Jan. 10

The Hornets' official Twitter feed reported an update on Zeller's status for Saturday's game:

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Zeller Out vs. Raptors

Thursday, Jan. 8

Charlotte Hornets forward Cody Zeller will miss Thursday's game against the Toronto Raptors with a strained shoulder, the team's public relations staff announced.

It's unclear when Zeller suffered the injury. He was active for Wednesday night's win over the New Orleans Pelicans, scoring eight points and grabbing eight rebounds in 28 minutes. The 7-footer has emerged into a key role player since entering the starting lineup earlier this season, averaging 8.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest.

Marvin Williams will start in Zeller's place and should receive the bulk of the workload at power forward. Williams opened 2014-15 as Charlotte's replacement for the departed Josh McRoberts as a small-ball 4 but has struggled getting acclimated. He's averaging 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in 35 games, only 16 of which have been starts.

The Hornets enter Thursday on a three-game winning streak and are three games out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. They are due in New York on Saturday for a 1 p.m. ET tip against the Knicks, so expect word on Zeller's status on the travel day.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.