It’s the most fun he has had in the NBA, perhaps in part because it’s the healthiest he’s been in his three NBA seasons. “It’s the most freedom I’ve had,” Ball told ESPN last month. “Just trying to do what I can, I’m out there 35 to 40 minutes a night now.” Ball struggled to start the season while nursing an ankle sprain that prevented him from having any summer workouts, and then missed six games in November with a strained adductor. Griffin said that in mid-December, Ball started changing his routine in the weight room and started to lift more on game days. It made him feel more explosive, Griffin said. In his last five games before the league’s suspension, Ball took it to another level, averaging 20.8 points, 7.8 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals while pushing his shooting averages to 53.5% and 51.2% from 3-point range.