Chicago Bulls will probably enter the playoff without Lonzo Ball as the team is expected to shut down the point guard for the rest of the year, per Shams Charania. Ball underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in January after a “slight meniscus tear.”
The Bulls suffered a loss during Tuesday night vs the Milwaukee Bucks, but, they clinched their place in the postseason for the first time since 2016-17 season. Ball was expected to be back after eight weeks since the surgery.
“The biggest thing they’re trying to make sure that he is without pain. The biggest thing now is that we don’t want him to be on any kind of discomfort,” Billy Donovan said recently.
However, he suffered a setback, which did not allowed him to return to action. The 24-year-old underwent a similar surgery on his left knee for a meniscus tear in 2018. He is in the first season of a four-year, $80 million deal he signed last summer.
The Bulls have fallen to sixth in the East after a late slump in the season. They were in first place in the Eastern Conference when Ball first underwent surgery. Ball averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in 35 games this season.
The Bulls will need to cover for his absence with Alex Caruso and Coby White. However, his defensive presence will be missed, especially in the playoffs. The Bulls will probably play away from home the first two games of the postseason.
The Bulls went 3-3 in the last six, but they went 22-13 with Ball in the lineup. Ball has a huge influence in the team’s perimeter defense and playmaking. He was also big for his team with his shooting putting 51 percent of his field goals and 50 percent of his shots from deep.
They have fallen to sixth after their latest loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. They can only upgrade their position one spot with three games remaining for the end of the regular season.
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