After returning to the court in the preseason and playing two games, Lonzo Ball played his first regular season game for the Chicago Bulls in 1,013 days.
Playing against his previous team, the New Orleans Pelicans, he played just 14 minutes in the Bulls' 123-111 loss in New Orleans and didn't play in the fourth quarter.
In his 14 minutes on the court, Ball finished with five points, four assists and two rebounds.
Ball's scoring grade: B
In his 14 minutes, Ball only scored five points. He shot 2-of-4 from the field and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Ball's scoring didn't have much of an impact on the game, but he was one of six Bulls to hit a three. He did not score as much as he did in his previous two games, but given the amount of time he played in three quarters and the game being his first regular-season game in over 1,000 days, Ball is off to a good, solid start scoring-wise.
Ball's passing grade: A-
Ball put up the most assists in a game since returning to an NBA floor just over a week ago, dishing four dimes.
In his first two games, he put up three assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers and one against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He finished with more assists than all but one of the Bulls' starters.
Ball would have the highlight of the night for the Bulls against the Pelicans, throwing a perfect alley-oop to Zach Lavine from beyond the 3-point line.
Even though he played less than he did in his two preseason games, Zo has shown he's still a great distributor.
ZO OOP TO ZACH.@CHSN__ | @ZO2_ pic.twitter.com/uyuV6sg3C9
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 24, 2024
Ball's rebounding grade: B-
Ball only had two rebounds in his regular-season return, both being defensive rebounds.
Given his time on the court and his previous injury history, his rebounds were still important to the Bulls' play overall.
Ball's defensive grade: B
Despite losing a small bit of the step he had before his injuries, Ball still had a strong presence on the defensive end.
While he had no significant defensive plays during his time on the court, he still had the hustle he played with before his injuries.
Ball's overall performance and impact: B+
Working his way back from a surgery that no athlete has returned from, Ball has done the impossible thus far.
His return to the court has energized the franchise and the players he's shared the court with.
Ball has shown he's still the player he was before his injuries, even if he's taken a small step back athletically. In 14 minutes, he played a significant role in the Bulls' play against the Pelicans, even if the stat sheet only partially reflects that.
In a regular season setting for the first time in almost three years, Ball had a solid regular season return in limited minutes.