Lonzo Ball continued his stellar play in Summer League since a disappointing opener. Ball again led the Los Angeles Lakers to a victory on Thursday night, and again, recorded a triple-double.
Ball finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists while adding five steals and two blocks. Though Ball again struggled shooting, hitting just six of his 20 shots including 2-10 from three-point range, his overall impact on the game was undeniable.
Lakers head coach Luke Walton is certainly excited with how the Lakers rookie has performed. Walton was interviewed on Spectrum SportsNet during Thursday’s game and said he’s been thrilled with Lonzo’s performance in Vegas via Lakers reporter Mike Trudell:
Walton’s been thrilled with how Lonzo has played here in Vegas. Eager to see what he does next to vets like Lopez, KCP, Clarkson and Co.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) July 14, 2017
Picturing Ball setting up the likes of Brook Lopez, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr is enough to bring a smile to any Lakers fan’s face. It’s been particularly impressive to see Ball bounce back from such a sub-par opener, something he credits to getting his wind back after not playing for so long via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Lonzo Ball said the biggest difference between his first two games and his last two games is his wind. Fatigue kicked in those first couple.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) July 14, 2017
Thanks in large part to Ball’s play the Lakers now find themselves in the quarterfinals of the Summer League playoffs where they will face the Brooklyn Nets. Ball will obviously be looking to bring the Lakers another victory.
Walton will definitely be watching as well as Ball continues to impress. While his success in Vegas is great, Walton and the rest of the Lakers front office will be hoping he maintains this level of play once the regular season comes around.