Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball has been coming into his own after facing a nightmare matchup in his debut against Patrick Beverley and the L.A. Clippers on Thursday. The starting point guard finished a 119-112 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans with eight points, eight rebounds, and a game-high 13 assists — becoming the youngest Laker to reach the double-digit assist mark.
While head coach Luke Walton lauded his rookie for his aggressiveness, despite his team-high five turnovers and a 3-of-13 shooting night from the field, his father LaVar had even loftier expectations of his son, challenging him to rebound more and close better.
“I like the fact they was down 20 and came back,” LaVar Ball told Lawrence Murray of ESPN. “These are some of the things they gotta learn, it's better losing early in the beginning right here.”
“The second thing, I thought my son should have rebounded more at the end of the game. Last five minutes, you gotta go crash the boards. I don't care, I saw him standing at the three-point line a few times. He went and got a couple of them, but he could've gotten more. Rebounding is key at the end of a game.”
The Lakers were against a hungry New Orleans Pelicans team that exploited its size and made the most of the 14 steals they came up with in the game, capitalizing with points off turnovers en route to a 57 percent shooting night as a unit.
LaVar was fond of how the Lakers managed to come back against a Pelicans team, despite his son's struggles from the field, but warned Lonzo needs to close out games like these in order for this team to take the next step.
“Lonzo was doing his thing the other day (against the Phoenix Suns), but now if you're a little tired — guess what — his team picked him up like ‘sit to the side, we can handle it, we can bring it back,'” said LaVar. “So this is good! Now bring Zo in and let's close it. See? Zo's gotta close every game, though. He's gotta close.”
These young Lakers will have another tough test ahead, taking on the Washington Wizards next on their home floor. LaVar, per usual, issued a warning for the road team.
“Washington coming in here Wednesday? They better beware, 'cause Lonzo ain't losing again,” warned The Ballfather. “Not in the same week.”
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