Los Angeles Lakers: 3 goals for the remainder of the season

3. Stay cautious with Lonzo, let loose when ready

The Los Angeles Lakers have been without the services of rookie guard Lonzo Ball for 21 of their last 26 games, with a pair of injuries sidelining the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. A left shoulder sprain held him out for six contests before a MCL sprain to his left knee kept him out for the last 15 games.

I wrote about the Lakers approaching the one-three week timetable for MCL sprains with caution for a couple reasons in January, and they followed suit by gaining an extra week of rest without him missing game action with the All-Star break. Lonzo is expected to return to the court Feb. 23 when the Lakers host the Mavericks

It remains to be seen how Lonzo will integrate into the team that’s played fast and well defensively (more on this in a minute) without him. On top of that, it will be interesting to see how he plays next to a ball-dominant guard in Isaiah Thomas. However, Lonzo is the type of the player that can seamlessly blend into a team and learned to trust his teammates in his time on the sidelines.

They may put Lonzo under a minutes restriction for a short time, and that wouldn’t be the worst idea. When the minutes limitation expires, the Lakers become a very fun and competitive team to watch the rest of the season.

The Lakers played well without him, but Lonzo is still the most important player with his impact across the board. I look forward to seeing him return to full speed, even if it takes a little time.