The Los Angeles Lakers will be without star point guard Lonzo Ball tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been rolling lately in the Las Vegas Summer League. The Lakers are riding a five-game winning streak and find themselves in the championship game of the Las Vegas Summer League.
A driving force behind that success has been point guard, Lonzo Ball. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft had a miserable debut. People immediately jumped on him after he shot 2-of-15 in his first game. Since then, Ball has been the best player in the Summer League.
Ball has triple-doubled twice and recorded at least 10 assists four times. Those numbers have never been reached in the history of the Summer League. He has been absolutely dominant, getting it done on both ends of the court.
Unfortunately, the Lakers will be without Ball for the championship game against the Portland Trail Blazers. It was announced that Ball will be sidelined because of a mild calf strain, which forced him out of the second half against the Dallas Mavericks in the previous round.
In addition to Ball, the Lakers will again be without guards Josh Hart and P.J. Dozier. Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News shared the report on his Twitter account.
Lakers say Lonzo Ball is out tonight, citing mild calf strain in right leg. Josh Hart & P.J. Dozier also out
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) July 17, 2017
Hart hasn’t played since the second game against the Boston Celtics. Dozier has been out since the third game, as both are dealing with ankle sprains.
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The Lakers have fared well without Hart and Dozier, but replacing Ball will be tougher. Ball sat out against the Sacramento Kings earlier in the summer, and they were able to win that game.
The big reason for that victory was the play of Alex Caruso. Caruso played extremely well filling in for Ball and will probably be called upon again to do it again tonight. Caruso played so well last time, he earned a two-way contract as a result.
Caruso will be leaned upon, but the Lakers will also need other guys to step up. Kyle Kuzma should continue carrying the offensive load. Matt Thomas should shift back to his natural shooting guard spot after starting at small forward the past few games.
Filling in for Ball will be a big task for the Lakers. They have played without him once already, so they have some experience doing it. Not only is it a blow for the Lakers, but it is also a letdown for the fans.
Next: Lakers vs Trail Blazers: 5 Players To Watch For
Ball has been a superstar in Las Vegas and a huge draw. The championship game loses some of its luster without Ball, but the Lakers will be determined to accomplish their goal of winning the Summer League even without him on the court.