THEY WRECK BALLS’ NIGHT
Family affair ends up Garden party
The Big Baller in red sneakers and a red T-shirt jumped to his feet, pumped his fist and began acting like, well, LaVar Ball.
“I didn’t see him,” Lonzo Ball said. “I had to get back on defense.” LaVar Ball was intentionally hard to miss during the Knicks’ 113-109 overtime win over the Lakers on Tuesday. The Ball family patriarch, sneakers salesman, basketball trainer and renowned rabble rouser sat along celebrity row just a few feet away from Magic Johnson, Odell Beckham Jr. and Spike Lee. But while Magic and Beckham were introduced to the crowd on the scoreboard, LaVar was not. Maybe the NBA, like the Lakers, is trying to tone down LaVar’s profile.
Instead, LaVar waited until the third quarter to demonstratively announce his arrival at Madison Square Garden. Why so late? Because that’s how long it took his oldest son, Lonzo, to introduce himself to the Knicks as well as the World’s Most Famous Arena. Seven straight points from Ball early in the second half, including a dunk and a 3-pointer brought the building to life and placed LaVar front and center for a few fleeting moments.
“Lot of ball screens, being aggres- sive and looking to score,” Lonzo said of his third quarter outburst.
As for his father’s celebration, Lonzo added “I know how he is. I like it. Some people don’t.”
Ball was impressive in his MSG debut, which featured Kristaps Porzingis torching the Lakers’ front line for 37 points and 11 rebounds. Ball scored 17 points in 40 minutes with eight rebounds and six assists but had just two points in the fourth quarter and overtime.
As LaVar markets his family, including securing professional contracts in Europe for his two youngest sons, Lonzo is experiencing an up and down rookie season. That’s typical for most first-year players except that Lonzo is not like most rookies. Not when your family is the basketball version of the Kardashians.
Lonzo, the second overall pick of the draft, hasn’t been the best rookie on his own team. That would be Kyle Kuzma, who tied the game by knocking down a three with 23.9 second left in regulation. In fact, Ball wasn’t even the best rookie point guard in the building.
That would be Frank Ntilikina, who was selected six picks after the Lakers drafted Ball. Ntilikina scored nine fourth quarter points and finished with 13 in 29 minutes. Ntilikina was more poised, Ball more hyped. “He’s a great player,” said Ball, gracious in defeat. “He’s young just like me playing in a big city trying to find his way, Much respect to him.” It was Woody Allen, noted Knicks fan, who once said that “80 percent of life is showing up.” On Tuesday, 100 percent of the Ball family was in attendance. That’s mom, dad as well as sons LiAngelo and LaMelo, the UCLA dropout and the home-schooled 16-year-old, respectively. On Monday, the Ball boys signed with a professional team in Lithuania as LaVar keeps his dream alive of having all three sons play in the NBA with the Lakers. LaVar’s brash style is good for the shoe business but not necessarily good for the Lakers. ESPN reported that Lakers officials, including Magic and GM Rob Pelinka, met with LaVar and asked him to “tone down some of his public criticisms of head coach Luke Walton and help create a more positive atmosphere around his son.” LaVar for now is more focused on his two youngest sons, who are both bypassing college scholarships at UCLA. This path to the pros is not uncommon in tennis, golf, hockey, soccer and baseball. The NBA is trending toward allowing teenagers to enter the NBA Draft right out of high school. Just remember, Porzingis left home at 16 to join a Spanish club and he’s turned out just fine. Whether LiAngelo or LaMelo ever make it to the NBA will be determined at a later date. Lonzo is LaVar’s first success story and it’s obvious he has a dynamic skill set. He’s an elite passer with terrific instincts. He’s quick, and sharing the ball in his DNA. Shooting is another story. With an odd delivery — his motion includes bringing the ball near his left ear before he releases — is funky to say the least. On Tuesday, he made 6 of 13 shots which for Ball is a solid night. He entered the game shooting 32 percent and 25 percent on 3-pointers. (Why else do you think LaVar jumped to his feet when Lonzo sank a 3-pointer). The Lakers have three high draft picks on their roster — Ball, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle — but there’s no guarantee any of them will be an All-Star. A few years ago, the Lakers had the chance to draft Porzingis but instead selected D’Angelo Russell second overall. That was pre-Magic T and Pelinka. he new Lakers regime will have cap space this summer and the worst-kept secret is that LeBron James and perhaps even Paul George will end up in Los Angeles. That would certainly accelerate the rebuilding process. LeBron, Lonzo and LaVar and family will all be in Cleveland on Thursday yet L.A. is the only town big enough for all of them.