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The Los Angeles Lakers gave their fans something to cheer about, as they defeated the Denver Nuggets at home on Sunday, 127-109. The win also gave LaVar Ball a reason to smile with Lakers rookie guard Lonzo Ball stuffing the stat sheet with the second triple-double of his nascent NBA career.
Ball had a night to remember, as the former UCLA Bruin collected 11 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists in a solid all-around display of the many positives he could bring to the table.
Lonzo perhaps was more relieved than happy about his performance, as it came on the heels of back-to-back losses in which he put up paltry numbers that detractors had a field day picking him apart. Ball’s teammate, backup Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson had himself a nice game too in the win, but nonetheless heaped praises on Ball, per ClutchPoints’ Ryan Ward.
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Jordan Clarkson on Lonzo Ball’s triple-double:“That’s something we’re looking for him to do. Impact the gm in all 3 of those categories, even defensively. He got out, got in transition, got guys set up, we made shots for him, & he got going on the rebounding side, so that’s good"
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) November 20, 2017
Clarkson scored 18 points off the bench and was one of the seven Lakers that finished the game with at least 11 points, but it’s Ball’s diverse stat line that demands the most attention. Ball has been struggling with his shot this season, but he’s doing a good job of finding other areas in which he could abundantly contribute, a quality that separates him from other rookies.
People tend to forget that Lonzo Ball is only in his first season in the NBA and others who don’t are simply expecting instant greatness from the 20-year-old guard, which further convolute people’s perception of the rookie. In any case, Ball has plenty of time to find consistency. He is currently averaging 8.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 7.1 rebound per game.
