Few players were hurt more by the league’s shut down in terms of on-court production than Lonzo Ball. After battling with inconsistencies for much of his career, Ball appeared to have finally turned a corner in 2020. In the final week of the season, Ball was averaging 20.8 points 7.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists while hitting 51% of his three-pointers in five games.
Following the Pelicans’ second practice in the bubble on Sunday, New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry was asked about the challenges of the team gathering rhythm after being apart for three months where Gentry specifically pointed out Ball’s strong play.
“I thought Lonzo Ball was playing as well as any guard in the league during that stage,” Gentry said.
Ball’s strong play mirrored the Pelicans surge in the second half of the year. Behind Ball and Zion Williamson, the team finally strung together wins at a rapid rate and turned what appeared to be a lost season into a potential playoff one.
