It's been a very rough start for Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball's NBA career. Coming into the league, Ball had a target on his back thanks to his father's repeatedly bold statements about what his son will accomplish.

Through a month and a half of the season, he's participated in all of the Lakers' 20 games averaging 8.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, but has shot just a measly 30.9 percent from the field, 24.5 percent from three point land, 42.9 percent from the free throw line, and turned the ball over 2.7 times per game.

After seeing the LA Clippers on opening night and getting dominated by Patrick Beverley, many expected a month of experience as well as no Patrick Beverley this time around to help Ball deliver a bounce-back game in front of the LA fans. Unfortunately, he didn't play better at all, finishing with three points, five rebounds, seven assists, and three turnovers.

Before the game, Clippers' coach Doc Rivers, a point guard himself back in the day, was asked about the struggles Lonzo Ball has been going through in the first 20 games of his career.

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“You can see at times his confidence is going up and down,” said Rivers. “I still think he affects the team in unscripted ways… Ways you'll never see in the stats. I think his ability to pass is contagious, I think there are few guys that have that. Just their actions bleed out to the entire team. I think he does that. There are clearly things he needs to get better at along with every other rookie, but it just seems like he's the target. There always is one or two or three. I like him, I just like him, I like his fortitude, he's gonna have to have it. Nothing's changed.”

Ball will likely continue to catch a lot of criticism for his bad games and an equal amount of praise for his good games. It comes with the territory of being a high draft pick, and no one knows that better than him.

“I have one take,” added Rivers about Ball. “I've said it before and it's not changed at all: he's not going to be good, he's going to be great, and I really believe that.”

Ball's season doesn't get any easier moving forward, as he and the Lakers will take on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.