The Chicago Bulls have shocked the NBA by winning eight of their last ten games, and they have done so without being fully healthy.
Standout point guard Lonzo Ball has not touched the court in March, missing 12 consecutive games for the Bulls due to a right wrist sprain. Ball's absence puts a damper on Chicago's guard depth, but his return might take longer than expected.
The Bulls are set to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, but Ball will not be able to return to face the team that drafted him second overall in 2017.
Before Thursday's game against the Lakers, Ball gave a new injury update.
"I'm not playing tomorrow, for sure," Ball said. "I'll probably give it another week... Still a little bit away. I'm happy to be back out there [practicing], but just wanna get a bit more comfortable... It's getting there but it's not there yet... I'm trying to get as healthy as possible before [the play-in] and just help the team win."
After missing two consecutive years due to injury and many fans fearing that he would never play again, Ball miraculously returned to action this season. The 27-year-old point guard is averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game this season, becoming an impactful two-way player for Chicago.
The Bulls will have a big test on Thursday against the star-studded Lakers, and Ball's absence certainly will not help. But getting him back healthy in time for the play-in tournament is the priority.
