After getting off to a slow start to the season, Los Angeles Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball has elevated his play in recent weeks.
Since LaVar spoke out about head coach Luke Walton losing the locker room, the Lakers have won four straight games, and Ball has averaged 11.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.8 steals in that span.
The Lakers look to extend their season-best winning streak to five games on Monday afternoon when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies, but whether or not Ball will be available for that game remains in question.
According to Lakers Reporter Mike Trudell, Ball woke up Sunday morning with a sore left knee and will undergo an MRI in Memphis, although it is believed to be for precautionary reasons:
Lonzo Ball woke up with a sore left knee this morning, and for precautionary reasons, is getting an MRI in Memphis today. The Lakers will send an update with the results.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 14, 2018
If Ball is forced to miss the game then it will be a big loss for the Lakers, as he recently missed six games with a shoulder injury and the Lakers went 0-6 while he was out.
Ball has been a subject of a lot of criticism this season, particularly for his shooting percentage as he is shooting just 35.6 percent from the field, 30.3 percent from three-point range and 48 percent at the free throw line.
His impact on the team goes far beyond his shooting percentage though, and that was evident while he was out. In addition to Ball, the Lakers might be without Brandon Ingram, who suffered a mild left ankle sprain in the win against the Dallas Mavericks.