KEY POINTS

  • Lonzo Ball finally recalls old form against Memphis
  • Ball needs to shoot better if Pelicans want to advance
  • Ball has recovered his confidence since the NBA restart

Some NBA players are understandably out of shape when the bubble started. Some were obviously out of shape while others seemed to have forgotten where they left off. One of them was Lonzo Ball who has been struggling for the New Orleans Pelicans. Thankfully, Pels head coach Alvin Gentry was able to do something about it before their game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Ball and Gentry had a private meeting before their game against Memphis and it appears the talk worked out. The former top pick finished with 7 points, four rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes of action.

“(Ball) had a bit of a struggle since arriving down here at Disney, so it’s good to see him get off to a good start. Alvin Gentry was concerned enough that they had a private conversation saying ‘Hey, you need to get your confidence back to where it was just before the hiatus,’” Doris Burke of ESPN reported via USA Today.

Given Ball's performance, critics may not be that impressed. Looking deeper, he shot 2-of-7 from the field and 2-of-7 from beyond the arc. The 22-year-old's shooting has been criticized repeatedly but it is more of his playmaking that is essential for the Pelicans. That included some nifty dimes to Zion Williamson and Jrue Holiday.

It was the first win for the Pelicans who are 2.5 games behind the Grizzlies. They still have an outside chance of at least a shot if they cop the ninth seed. Per NBA.com, the eighth-seeded team needs to be more than four games ahead of the ninth-best record team in the same conference.

As of this writing, the Pelicans are half a game behind the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs. If New Orleans can string up some wins and the Blazers and or the Spurs sputter, they could snag that spot. They have five games left, their next of which will be against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.

De'Anthony Melton #0 of the Memphis Grizzlies brings the ball up court under pressure from Lonzo Ball #2 of the New Orleans Pelicans
De'Anthony Melton #0 of the Memphis Grizzlies brings the ball up court under pressure from Lonzo Ball #2 of the New Orleans Pelicans Getty Images | Ashley Landis - Pool

Their remaining opponents look winnable with the Spurs the only one likely to give them problems. At any rate, Ball needs to exert more effort on the shooting end for the Pels to get a chance at the play-in series. However, they will need to beat the eighth-seeded team twice to each a matchup. Things don't get easier there since they will face the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers.

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