After returning from a seven-game absence earlier this week, Lonzo Ball will miss Friday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers due to another injury. Ball sat out for over two weeks due to a right hip flexor strain.
In a cruel twist of irony, Ball will now be sidelined with a left hip flexor strain. Prior to the game, New Orleans head coach Stan Van Gundy said he’s unsure if or how the two injuries are related.
This is the third time Ball has missed games this season. In mid-January, Ball missed three games due to knee injuries before returning and hitting the ground running. Ball played the next 29 games, averaging 31.2 minutes per game in that span, before missing seven games starting on March 21.
Ball’s return to the sideline is all the more frustrating for Pelican fans due to Brandon Ingram and Kira Lewis, who have each missed the last five games, making their returns to the rotation as well.
Ball, Ingram and Zion Williamson have not played together in a game since March 18.
