The Chicago Bulls wrap up the regular season on Sunday and are close to clinching a spot in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Playoffs. But the team hasn’t played as well as we’ve seen and have struggled down the stretch.
A big reason why is the loss of point guard Lonzo Ball. And now it appears as if Ball won’t be back anytime soon this season. On Tuesday evening, Shams Charania tweeted the following update which is not good news for the Bulls:
Sources: Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is expected to be shut down for the remainder of the season. Ball has been rehabbing from meniscus surgery in late January, but continues to feel discomfort amid several recovery methods to return to action and a bone bruise in his knee.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 5, 2022
Ball’s last appearance was against the Golden State Warriors on January 14th and his presence on the floor has been greatly missed. To this point, his rehab process has been tricky. Now, this setback has been the latest bad news delivered in Ball’s situation.
Head coach Billy Donovan told the media on Tuesday that Ball has been dealing with discomfort in the rehab process as he was ramping things up. That has led to them shutting things down with just a few games left to go.
Billy Donovan said Lonzo Ball is experiencing discomfort after another try at the ramp-up process.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 5, 2022
The Bulls have another opportunity to clinch a top 6 seed with a win tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks. This matchup with the Bucks is only one of four games that the Bulls have remaining. Ball’s knee discomfort will likely cause him to miss this small remainder of regular-season games.
If the discomfort continues and the Bulls fail to make it deep into the playoffs, Chicago fans will likely have to wait until next season to see Lonzo Ball take the court. For now, Ayo Dosumnu, Alex Caruso, and Coby White will continue to hold down the point guard duties for the Bulls.
Make sure to check out our Bulls forum for the latest on the team.
