Shooting slumps are not exactly something new for the Los Angeles Lakers second-year guard Lonzo Ball. Since he came in to the league, shooting efficiency has always been something to improve on for him. To be fair, Lonzo has always been a pass-first guy even before he was in the NBA. Also, the Lakers didn't draft him because of his scoring acumen but because of his ability to run an offense.
In a recent loss to Orlando, the shooting became a little bit more of a concern as Ball didn't score a single point in 28 minutes of play. Before that, he was 1-for-11 in the first two games of the Lakers' road trip.
So when the Lakers faced the Cavaliers, the coaching staff advised Ball to take it to the basket and play aggressively. Safe to say if worked out for him as he had one of his best outings of the season with 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in the Lakers' win.
In an interview with ESPN,
“The faster the game is, I usually play better like that,” Ball said. “That's what they were telling me. I get the ball, just push it, try to outrun everybody, and that's what I tried to do tonight.”
Ball has always been a more effective player in an uptempo game as he is great in creating plays in transition and finishing at the rim given his size and athleticism. The Lakers hope Ball can carry this momentum moving forward as they face Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz come Friday.
Follow Us
Subscribe