While many have criticized Lonzo Ball for various aspects of his game, he’s always worked hard on his game. Most recently, Ball’s continued dedication to improving his shooting mechanics and adapting to a new form has begun to show on the court.
After Sunday’s triple-double performance against the Rockets which included a career-high seven three-pointers, head coach Alvin Gentry complimented Ball on the work he had put in before, during and after practice.
“He managed to push it and create open shots. I think he’s been playing well for us. He played exceptionally well tonight. He’s put in a lot of work on his 3-point shooting: before practice, after practice, he’s spent a lot of time doing that, and you saw the results tonight.”
While Ball’s shot has drawn lots of praise in recent weeks, his overall game has been great as well. In the last eight games, he’s averaging 12.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists while shooting 40.4% from the field and 42.0% from three. In that same span, Ball has a net rating of 5.7, third-best of players who have played in all eight of those games.
He has been a key for the Pelicans in their recent stretch that has seen them creep back into the playoffs. And if the team is going to make a push to the playoffs to start 2020, Ball will likely continue to be a central figure for New Orleans.
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