Lonzo Ball Held to 6 Points in Lakers' 128-125 Loss vs. Pelicans
Collectively, the Los Angeles Lakers executed at a high offensive level during Thursday night's 128-125 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center.
The Lakers shot 49.4 percent from the field and 17-of-39 (43.6 percent) from three, and four of head coach Luke Walton's five starters finished with at least 20 points.
Lonzo Ball was the outlier, as his continued shooting slump overshadowed an otherwise encouraging effort.
In 44 minutes, Ball totaled six points on 2-of-15 shooting, including 1-of-12 from three, 13 rebounds, nine assists and two blocks.
Lonzo's struggles were especially evident in crunch time, as Lakers.com's Mike Trudell noted:
He also learned the hard way not to challenge Anthony Davis at the rim:
The UCLA product is now shooting a combined 7-of-48 on threes over his past seven games and has not scored in double figures since the Lakers' 125-116 loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 9.
FanRag Sports' Jason Patt offered a detailed overview of Ball's last five outings:
On the plus side, Lonzo was aggressive on the glass, pulled down several defensive rebounds in traffic and pushed the pace en route to his fifth straight game with at least eight dimes.
Silver Screen & Roll provided a succinct assessment of Ball's game:
However, the fact remains that teams will continue to sag way off Ball and dare him to shoot until he can demonstrate a consistent ability to knock down long-range looks.
That's what the Pelicans did Thursday night, and it worked to perfection as they capped a daunting back-to-back-to-back with their fourth straight win.
New Orleans will enjoy a much-needed rest Friday before heading to Toyota Center for a meeting with the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
The Lakers will also be in action on the road Saturday for a tilt with the Memphis Grizzlies—who lost to the Charlotte Hornets by 61 points on Thursday.
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