Bulls’ Ball has 5 off bench in long-awaited return

NEW ORLEANS — Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball played in his first NBA game since Jan. 14, 2022, recording 5 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds in 14 minutes during Wednesday’s 123-111 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

When Ball checked into the game with 6:14 remaining in the first quarter, he did so without fanfare. He had been through an emotional return during the preseason — when he stepped on an NBA court for a game for the first time following a cartilage transplant in his left knee in March 2023 — where his teammates gifted him the game ball and celebrated him in the locker room afterward.

On Wednesday, Ball called his two preseason appearances a “trail run” leading up to the regular season. He has been looking forward to putting the talk about his left knee behind him and focusing on basketball.

“The basketball hasn’t changed,” Ball said after shootaround on Wednesday morning. “This just counts toward the record. So go out there continue to play how I play.”

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 night 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.”

Ball appeared in three stints during Wednesday’s game. He knocked 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, where he was limited to about three minutes before he hit his restriction for the night.

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

“Time is definitely limited out there so just be aggressive as possible,” Ball said before the game. “Play with a lot of energy, come in and try to give a spark off the bench.”

Ball is also not expected to play games on consecutive nights as the team aims to 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 which game he plays.