NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans Point Guard Lonzo Ball is no stranger to the rumor trade. He spent a full season with the Los Angeles Lakers hearing about ways he could possibly be treated before finally ending up with the Pelicans in the summer of 2019. But when Ball tried to get off to a difficult start to the 2020-21 season, his name began to swirl the rumor mill all over again.
To his credit, however, Ball reacted with outstanding performances in a row. In Wednesday’s Pelicans game against Washington, Ball had nine points and four assists, while scoring three 3-point hits in the first half while guarding Bradley Beal before rolling an ankle and missing the second half.
Ball returned to action on Friday night, playing his best game of the season in a 131-126 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Ball had a season high of 27 points (his high in a pelican uniform), a career high of seven 3-pointers, and his second best assistant performance of the season at eight.
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“I’m just staying on course,” said Ball when asked if he had any extra motivation this week. “I’ve been playing basketball for a long time. I’ve put a lot of work into just trying to play my game. That’s how I play. I’m just trying to stay away from all the noise and just go out and try.” help my team win games. “
Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said he spoke to Ball earlier this week about how to play through the noise and play at a high level.
“Nobody likes distractions, but you have distractions all the time,” Van Gundy told reporters on Wednesday. “It’s trade rumors, it’s COVID, it’s family, whatever it is. Other voices. There are always distractions, and a big part of being successful in this league is blocking out distractions and getting your job done.”
The pelican guard Lonzo Ball put up 27 points with eight assists against the bucks on Friday evening. Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images
David Griffin, executive vice president of basketball operations at Pelicans, said on ESPN New Orleans radio Thursday that he thought Ball responded with one of his best half of the year against the Wizards.
“I think he has just realized and divided into his situation. It’s good that people are calling your name because it means that other teams want you,” Griffin told the radio station.
For Ball, the reaction meant playing with more aggression, which his coaches and teammates pleaded with him all season.
Pelicans center Steven Adams, who had 20 rebounds against the bucks, said if Ball is playing aggressively and trying to get in the color and score it will only help the whole offensive.
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“He did a really good job,” said Adams. “Again, brother, with every player on the defensive, when you see someone with this body language walking right up to you and taking those angles, it forces you to make a pretty drastic decision.
“It kind of puts you in a difficult position. Instead of being passive, the defense can be, ‘Oh, sweet, I can be passive too.’ Our guys did a good job of taking angles that made the defense spin and then we found the open man from there. “
The Pelicans finished the season with 32 assists, and Adams honored Ball for starting the offensive on Friday. It also helped that the pelicans made shots.
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Eric Bledsoe knocks down five 3-points against his former team as the Pelicans take the lead in the 68-45 half.
Aside from Ball’s big night, his backcourt partner Eric Bledsoe also had seven 3-pointers. According to ESPN Stats & Information Research, Ball and Bledsoe were only the fifth starting spot in NBA history to score at least seven 3-point hits in the same game, along with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson (three times), James Harden and Eric Gordon. Damon Stoudamire and Nick Van Exel and Michael Dickerson and Cuttino Mobley.
While ball movement was key to the Pelicans’ success on Friday, willingness to find the right shot also helped. And for Ball, it was all about taking the shot when it was passed to him. He was 6v9 with 3-pointers to catch and shoot, which showed he was ready to get the blatant looks instead of making the extra pass.
“We love to see it,” said Pelicans striker Zion Williamson. “If he shoots the ball with such confidence, even if he misses it, only he shoots with confidence, that’s what we want Zo to do. He hit seven tonight and they were all great for us.”
