LOS ANGELES _ Lonzo Ball will miss four to six weeks after an MRI showed he suffered a Grade 3 sprain to his left ankle, the Los Angeles Lakers said Sunday.
The sprain includes a torn ligament, which Rajon Rondo suffered to his right ring finger last month. Unlike Rondo, Ball will not need surgery.
Ball turned his ankle in the third quarter of Saturday night's loss to the Houston Rockets after colliding with Houston's James Ennis. He writhed on the floor, appearing to be in extreme pain, before teammates Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley carried him off the court.
Because the X-ray machines weren't working at the Toyota Center, Ball was transported to a nearby hospital where his X-rays showed no fractures. An MRI on Sunday revealed the extent of the injury.
This timetable will keep Ball out until after the All-Star break, which begins Feb. 15.
Ball, who had hoped to play in all 82 regular season games, had not missed any games this season. He is averaging 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this year.
