Lonzo Ball isn’t known for dunking. Heck, he’s not even known for being that aggressive toward the rim. But Thursday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Los Angeles Lakers rookie got a little gutsy.
Early in the second quarter, Ball found his way to the right side of the lane on a pick-and-roll. LA’s screener slipped early, and the rest of the Lakers were spread out across the 3-point line.
That left Ball driving toward the basket with nobody standing in the paint. Seeing an opportunity, Ball went up securely with two hands to flush the bucket.
However, Anthony Davis had other ideas.
Via Twitter:
Anthony Davis just PINNED Lonzo!
— NBA Buzz (@OfficialNBABuzz) March 23, 2018
Big Baller BLOCK!
👀 pic.twitter.com/bXYRcvCCPs
I’m actually all for this decision-making. Ball can sometimes be too deferential to his teammates. Going up against Davis, however, is not a good way to end the play. Isaiah Thomas was sprinting to the far corner, and a pass to him would have been the correct choice.
Fun block, though.