The Los Angeles Lakers announced an MRI revealed Lonzo Ball suffered a left shoulder sprain in the second quarter of a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, and he will not play on Christmas. Ball is expected to be re-evaluated in one week.
The timeline suggests Ball will be out for games with the Minnesota Timberwolves (Dec. 25), Memphis Grizzlies (Dec. 27), L.A. Clippers (Dec. 29) and Houston Rockets (Dec. 31). The Lakers face the Timberwolves again on Jan. 1, 2018, which would be just over a week from the announcement of the injury.
Ball grabbed at his left shoulder and immediately went to the locker room upon checking out of the game late in the second quarter of Saturday’s game. The Lakers announced he’d sustained a left shoulder contusion and was available to return.
Ball went on to finish with 10 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists in 37 minutes of action. He connected on a game-tying 3-pointer with less than two minutes remaining of what was a 95-92 Lakers’ loss.
“I am not really sure what happened, I just felt it pop,” Ball said postgame. He added he’d ice the shoulder and predicted he would play on Christmas.
Ball’s injury is the third the Lakers have incurred within the past week. Brook Lopez suffered a right ankle sprain that’s expected to sideline him for a minimum of three weeks, and Brandon Ingram did not play Saturday due to right quadriceps contusion and left quadriceps tendinitis.
Lakers head coach Luke Walton deemed Ingram day-to-day, but said he was ‘banged up’ and dealing with a finger issue in addition to the quad injuries. Ball previously dealt with tightness in both calves.
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