If you were patient with this kid since the beginning of his career, then you are proud of the results that you’re finally seeing out of Lonzo. Lonzo Ball is slowly becoming a player that can be a valuable asset in the NBA today. With all of the turmoil that he faced in his first two seasons in the league, it is great to watch Ball improve day in and day out. The more he improves, the more the world will finally watch Lonzo become the valuable player that many expected him to be coming out of the 2017 NBA Draft.
Lonzo has been working with Pelicans shooting coach Fred Vinson since his arrival in New Orleans this summer. And what a difference it has been for the third-year point guard. The new shooting form and release looks a lot better than his previous mechanics. With his improvement being able to shoot the ball at a more efficient rate, it has helped New Orleans magnificently throughout the course of this season.
Ball this season is averaging 11.7 points while shooting 40 percent from the field. It isn’t the best shooting percentage the world has seen, but for Ball it is just another step taken to becoming a great NBA player. We know what he can do as a point guard as far as setting up his teammates but the key to Ball truly being able to make a difference for a playoff contender he needed to be a more reliable threat as a scorer.
Throughout the season, Ball has had stretches where he has shown teams if they disrespect his improved shot that they will pay the price. Against the Houston Rockets in late December, Ball shot 7-12 from three-point range and went on for 27 points to secure a win. Later after that game, Ball would go on to score 23, 24, 21, and 18 in a three-week stretch. Although Alvin Gentry for a stretch was not playing Ball major minutes, once he allowed his point guard to run the show he would not be disappointed in the results.
As Ball’s career continues in New Orleans, he will continue to get more shot opportunities and he will have no choice but to make the defense pay. With elite players in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram being on top of opposing team’s scouting report, it leaves Ball to be forgotten about and it will be his job to continue to knock down shots from the perimeter. For him to add scoring to his repertoire along with his passing and defensive prowess, it will really complement the other guys on the team knowing that their point guard is looking to be aggressive on the offensive end.
The Pelicans are currently fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. So that means they need everyone to be clicking on all cylinders in order to surpass Memphis for the eighth seed. Everyone knows what the Pelicans will get from their star players, but the X-factor for this team reaching their goals lies in the play of Lonzo Ball.
Let’s hope that Ball continues to be assertive on both ends of the floor. He’s continued to improve game-after-game and he should look to keep things going for himself. When Ball is locked in on the basketball floor, it helps New Orleans elevate to be a team that can be a big threat in the NBA when everything’s rolling.