The Lakers look completely lost without Lonzo Ball

The Los Angeles Lakers are riding an eight-game losing streak following their Wednesday night loss to the Thunder. Without Lonzo Ball, this team looks lost.

Eight games; the Los Angeles Lakers have lost eight games in a row. The team’s last win came with a 122-116 victory over the Houston Rockets on December 20. Prior to that victory, the Lakers were riding a three-game losing streak. The team has lost 11 of their last 12 games.

Inexperience, injuries and all-around poor play directly contribute to the Lakers’ poor run. While they have had some tough competition during the eight-game stretch, the team is getting outmatched. Of the eight losses, Los Angeles has come within five points just once.

This is concerning for Laker fans who had high hopes of making the eighth seed for the postseason. Los Angeles is now the bottom team in the Western Conference. With no draft pick, the Lakers really have no incentive to be this bad.

But they won’t be this bad, this is just a bad stretch. For as much criticism as he gets, this bad stretch looks great for rookie point guard Lonzo Ball. The team has looked lost without him, the results are evident.

Ball has missed the last six games with a left shoulder sprain. The plan is for Ball to return on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets, perhaps to end the Lakers eight-game skid.

This comes just in time for the Lakers, who seemingly cannot play without Ball. His defense is missed, his playmaking ability is missed, the overall change in culture that he brings to the table is missed. Quite frankly, the Lakers are a much better team with Ball on the court.

Ball is averaging 10.0 points, 7.1 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game; pretty good for a guy labeled as a bust. His scoring starting coming around as well before he was hurt. Prior to his injury, Ball was on a six-game stretch of scoring at least 10 or more points. Overall, Ball was averaging 16 points, 7.2 assists and 7.3 rebounds during that stretch.

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Ball’s impact has even been shown on other players. Rookie Kyle Kuzma has been touted as the better rookie of the duo. The problem is, with Ball out, Kuzma is a significantly worse player.

Kuzma has had one good game while Ball has been out with injury; a 31 point contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas Night. Aside from that, the usually reliable Kuzma has struggled to score efficiently; shooting 32.9% since scoring 31 on Christmas. The last time Kuzma posted a positive +/- was December 23; Ball’s last game played.

While it is at the expense of his team losing eight games, this skid is exactly what Ball needed for his image. He has not been able to light up the box scores, but Ball has obviously brought success to this Lakers team. That is why they are winless without him, that is why Magic Johnson selected him second overall.

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So, perhaps it is time for the Lonzo Ball haters to ask for their favorite player back. If he does not come back soon, the Lakers may fall in a hole that is inescapable when he does return.

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