New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball's assist numbers are up in the new year, and his backcourt mate Jrue Holiday had an apt comparison to describe his game.
According to Holiday, the way Lonzo plays “is like a quarterback.”
Jrue Holiday, asked to describe Lonzo Ball's style: "He’s more like a traditional (point guard), but mixed with a new era. The passes he makes are tough passes. The way he plays is like a quarterback, but he can also score, get into the paint. He does a little bit of everything."
— Jim Eichenhofer (@Jim_Eichenhofer) February 29, 2020
In his first season in New Orleans (and third year overall), the former no. 2 overall pick is averaging a career-high 11.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game.
However, the last two months have been Lonzo's best, particularly in terms of dishing. He averaged 9.1 assists per game in January and 8.0 in February. His 39.0 assist ratio in February is easily his highest of the season, coming off 35.1 in January.
Not surprisingly, the presence of Zion Williamson has been helpful to Lonzo Ball. The two seem to have already developed a nice chemistry, with Lonzo averaging 8.6 assists in the 14 games Zion has played since he made his Jan. 22 debut.
Lonzo's effectiveness and Zion's arrival have coincided with (or led to) an uptick in play for the Pelicans as they make a late push for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. With the Memphis Grizzlies (28-31) currently amid a five-game losing skid in the wake of Jaren Jackson Jr.'s injury, New Orleans (26-33) entered Saturday just 2.5 games back of that final postseason spot.
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