LOS ANGELES — Just when it looked like the Los Angeles Lakers were turning the corner on an injury-riddled season, Lonzo Ball is expected to miss four to six weeks with a Grade 3 left ankle sprain, the team announced Sunday.
Ball suffered the injury in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 138-134 overtime loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday and an MRI administered Sunday in Los Angeles confirmed the severity of the sprain.
Ball, who tweaked the same ankle in late November, turned his ankle outward after colliding with James Ennis III with 8:39 left in the third quarter. He fell to the floor in pain and had to be carried to the locker room by Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley during the Lakers’ ensuing timeout.
The second-year point guard is averaging 9.9 points on 40.6 percent shooting (32.9 percent from 3), 5.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists this season.
The news comes at what was supposed to be an encouraging point in the season with LeBron James (left groin strain) and Rajon Rondo (right ring finger surgery) both cleared to resume full-contact practice after missing the Lakers’ past 13 games.
Lakers coach Luke Walton said the team would likely call up Alex Caruso from the South Bay Lakers, their G League affiliate, to shore up the backcourt while Ball recovers from his ankle injury.