Bulls' Ball returns: 'Just trying to give good minutes'

NEW ORLEANS — When Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball checked in during the first quarter Wednesday, his first regular-season game in more than two years, he did so without fanfare.

He had been through an emotional return in the preseason — when he played in an NBA game for the first time following a cartilage transplant in his left knee in March 2023 — and his teammates gifted him the game ball and celebrated him in the locker room.

But against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, he officially played in his first regular-season game since Jan. 14, 2022, recording 5 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds in 14 minutes in a 123-111 Chicago loss.

Afterward, Ball downplayed the significance of this latest milestone.

“It felt pretty similar to the preseason games, to be honest,” Ball said. “Same shots was there. Same minutes was there. Just about capitalizing on the time I’m out there.”

The Bulls plan to bring Ball off the bench and limit his minutes to 14-16 per game for at least the foreseeable future, according to coach Billy Donovan. Wednesday marked the first time Ball came off the bench since Dec. 20, 2019.

“For him, he’s been able to wrap his head around the fact that this is my new norm,” Donovan said before the game. “This is my reality.”

However, Ball said his most important contribution was just being available.

He appeared in three short stints against the Pelicans, which included knocking down his first shot of the game, a 3-pointer in the first quarter. He checked in for a more extended stretch during the second quarter, playing seven minutes. His final appearance came in the third, when he was limited to about three minutes before he hit his restriction for the night.

Donovan said he saved a few minutes for Ball in case the game got close in the fourth, but the situation never arose for him to check back in.

“I always want to be out there,” Ball said. “But I’ve got to listen to the staff, my team and try to go with the best path forward.”

Ball called his two preseason appearances a “trial run” leading up to the regular season, but he has been looking forward to putting the talk about his left knee behind him and focusing on basketball. He has undergone three arthroscopic knee surgeries since playing in his last game more than 1,000 days ago.

Ball acknowledged playing on a short minutes limit has been an adjustment, but he tried to find ways to remain productive.

“I’m just happy to be on the court,” he said. “Coach calls my name, I’m just trying to give good minutes.”

Ball is also not expected to play back-to-backs as the Bulls manage his health. Chicago has a game in Milwaukee on Friday before its home opener Saturday, but Donovan said the team will monitor how Ball comes out of Wednesday’s game before determining his availability for this weekend.

“I feel good,” Ball said. “Probably would feel a little better if we won, but it’s all good. Onto the next one.”

Chicago gave up 30 points off turnovers Wednesday night, tied for the most allowed since the start of last season.

“We got a little sped up,” said Bulls guard Zach LaVine, who finished with 27 points but also seven turnovers, his most in a game since December 2022. “Obviously we’re trying to play the right way, but we had too many turnovers and just didn’t get enough stops.”