The Los Angeles Lakers scored a crucial home victory against the feisty Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, 114-103. After the game, Lakers star LeBron James was quick to sing the praises of teammate Lonzo Ball and the impact he has had on the team's defense:
LeBron James on Lonzo Ball: ““He’s cat quick—his length, his hands are very fast, very quick. His ability to pick up full court and, pretty much, he doesn’t get tired. That allows us to extend our defense as well.” #Lakers
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) December 1, 2018
Ball played a big part for the Lakers on Friday, and his defense was outstanding. The sophomore guard amassed a total of five steals on the evening, as he helped his team overpower the Mavs in a hard-fought matchup. This is the second time this season that Ball has recorded five steals in a game, which justifies LeBron's compliments.
Ball has seen a relative dip in his production in his sophomore year, with his numbers dropping to 8.0 points (on 40.1 percent shooting), 1.3 3-pointers, 5.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.1 steals in 27.0 minutes per contest. Aside from his efficiency from the floor, all these statistics have dropped compared to Ball's rookie year.
Ball has found that life with LeBron James requires a lot of adjustments from his end, and perhaps, the 21-year-old still needs some more getting used to. Nonetheless, Ball has found other ways to help the Lakers, and as James has pointed out, Ball's defense has had a significant impact on the team in general.
Most importantly, the Lakers are slowly but surely getting their groove, with the team winning five of their last seven contests. LeBron and the Lakers are now 13-9 and currently occupying the sixth spot in an overly competitive Western Conference.
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