In the just two games with the Los Angeles Lakers, we’ve seen the best and the worst of Lonzo Ball’s game.
Two games in for the Los Angeles Lakers, and we’ve seen two different versions of rookie guard Lonzo Ball.
That’s a not a good thing, but it isn’t a bad thing either. Most rookies are projected to be below average, meaning that they’re supposed to be up and down throughout an 82-game season. For Lonzo Ball, in two games, we’ve seen the things that made him one of the top picks in the draft. Of course, we’ve also seen some of the things that brought up concerns.
On the first game of the season, Ball finished with 3 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists on 1-of-6 shooting. Going against an elite defensive guard in Patrick Beverley, Ball was engulfed all night with pressure, making it difficult for him to get fully acclimated on the offensive side of the ball. That affected his defensive play.
Never destined to be a great defender, Ball struggled in his first game of his pro career, partially because he never got fully going on the offensive end. His play was a bit sluggish on the defensive end and at times, he struggled to be back to the other side of the floor. It was a bit concerning to see how quickly Ball can turn off when defensive pressure is placed on him.
While few defenders are on the level — the combination of athleticism, intelligence, and vocal demeanor is a bit rattling — of Beverley, there is a bevy of talented defensive wings all around the league and Ball will have to find his niche spots in order to beat them
After jokes were made, questions about Beverley’s intensity were asked, and Ball’s ability questioned, Lonzo went into game two and played quite well. Against the Phoenix Suns, Ball finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists on 12-of-27 shooting. Even though Ball was playing a fine defender in Bledsoe, he was able to show off the same ability to make him the second overall pick.
Through two games, the biggest thing I noticed about Ball’s game is a desire to run through the pick-and-roll. Whether it was Brook Lopez, Larry Nance Jr. or Kyle Kuzma, Ball was running spread pick and roll the entire time, looking to get into the lane. On occasion, Ball would finish at the lane, where his craftiness, while still improving, allowed him to finish at the basket.
The second thing is his secondary skills. Ball has always been an innate passer, always making the extra pass and the pass to move the ball up the floor and start the fast-break. I’m curious to see how Kentavious Caldwell-Pope does alongside Ball, as I envision him as the beneficiary of several open threes as the Los Angeles Lakers push the ball and get several advantages on offense.
In other scenarios, Ball was looking for his fellow roll man, getting to the rim, or in Brook Lopez’ case, knocking down the outside shot. Among Laker big men, Lopez is the only one who poses a threat beyond the arc, as evidenced by his three 3-point makes so far this season. His ability to score inside and outside will be vital for Ball’s development.
As for Ball, it’s safe to say that he will eventually thrive as a pick-and-roll guard and that will prove to be beneficial for his teammates as they improve.
Ultimately, I believe the most intriguing lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers right now is a combination of Ball, Caldwell-Pope, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Brook Lopez. That five-man lineup gives Los Angeles the best combination of shooting around Ball. Lopez serves as a good secondary scorer when things break down.
Ball is also a showing early to be a fine rebounder. Never an elite athlete, Ball combines his intelligence and size to maneuver and slither his way to the rim to get easy rebounds. Combine that and his desire to push the ball up the floor and you have an ideal guard to run the new “Showtime.” Overall, 15 rebounds in two games for Ball is great, and I imagine as the Lakers continue to play a feverish pace, there will be several chances for Ball to generate rebounds.
The Los Angeles Lakers don’t have the scent of a playoff team, but they’ll be fun to watch because of Lonzo Ball and the development of their young guys. In two games so far, he’s showing all the things you wanted to see — the pace of play, the creation, the desire to make his teammates better and the ability to make plays on the glass. There are warts, but again, rookies are supposed to be bad.
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Against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, it’ll be interesting to see which guy we get.