Lavar Ball, the father of New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball, is mouthing off once more. Known for his crazy forecasts, he believes that the Pelicans can pull off a big upset against the Western Conference-leading Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The only problem there is that New Orleans is not yet in the final eight out west.
Ball appeared on ESPN and claimed that his son, Lonzo, is in a different mode. It is something he had never seen before and eventually termed as “revenge mode.” For those who have followed the saga of the Ball family, LaVar’s rants are nothing new. This time, however, there are a lot of precedents. The most important of all is that the Pelicans need to make the playoffs first.
As of this writing, New Orleans is sitting at 12th place in the NBA Western Conference. They are 4.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies, the team currently at 8th spot. Though they have lighter assignments for the remainder of the NBA season, it will be a rough road ahead. There is a possibility they can catch up, but it will be close.
Also, it will not solely be up to Lonzo Ball. As most know, the success of the Pelicans will depend on Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. Both have been the front of it all, a reason why some have found New Orleans a team worth following. Ball is good for 12.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.0 assists. These are so-so numbers, far from what one may call all-star numbers.
But these figures should not matter much. Ingram has been having a banner year, and this led to him getting his first NBA All-Star nod. Williamson, on the other hand, is proving good as advertised. Though his body mass index remains a concern, his team up with Ingram is showing promise. Even if they fail to make the playoffs, there is no denying that the team will be a squad to reckon with moving forward.
Assuming the Pelicans are able to make the playoffs, the Lakers are their first-round opponents. Even if Lonzo steps it up alongside Ingram and Williamson, the best to look out for is winning a game or two. As far as upsetting the Lakers, that would be a big task that New Orleans may not be able to accomplish.
For now, it would be best for the Pelicans to focus on winning and see where it leads. A playoff seat is plausible but certainly, something that may be nothing more than a short extension of the Pelicans 2019-20 NBA campaign.
