The Los Angeles Lakers announced the MRI results on Lonzo Ball’s left knee, which confirmed the contusion the team diagnosed him with during Wednesday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. Ball is listed as day-to-day going forward.
Ball suffered the injury when he was inadvertently hit in the back of his knee on a back screen. Lakers head coach Luke Walton said Thursday’s MRI was out of precaution, and Ball himself downplayed being concerned.
The rookie point guard attempted to return before the Lakers announced he was out for the remainder of the game. Ball was seen limping to the bench and stretching his left knee out at various points.
He also applied a heat pack in effort to loosen the area up so he could play in the fourth quarter. Ball finished with eight points, four rebounds and five assists in 24 minutes.
Ball missed six weeks earlier this season due to a sprained MCL, also in his left knee. The injury was believed to be minor at the time, but Ball struggled with getting to the point where he could complete on-court activities and movements without feeling pain.
Ball specified Wednesday’s incident was not the same spot as his previous injury, and that it was more of a bruise that simply required icing and treatment. The 20-year-old also missed time this season due to a shoulder sprain.
