The Chicago Bulls have listed guard Lonzo Ball as questionable with a right wrist sprain ahead of their Sunday afternoon matchup against the Charlotte Hornets. The game will open Chicago’s brief two-game road trip as the team continues its late-season push for positioning in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.
Ball has missed the Bulls’ last 17 games, most recently sitting out Friday’s 118-113 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Rookie Matas Buzelis recorded his first career double-double in that contest with 12 points and 12 rebounds, helping the Bulls improve to 35-42 on the season.
Prior to Friday’s game, K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network reported that Ball had participated fully in the team’s morning shootaround and was trending toward a return, pending final medical clearance. However, Ball was ultimately held out for a 17th consecutive game. Sunday’s matchup now presents another opportunity for the 27-year-old to rejoin the rotation, potentially on a minutes restriction if cleared.
Ball last appeared in a game on February 28 during the Bulls’ 125-115 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors. In that outing, he posted 14 points, two rebounds, two assists, and a steal while shooting four-of-10 from the field across 34 minutes.
With Play-In spot secured, Bulls eye higher seed vs. Hornets as Lonzo Ball nears return
The former No. 2 overall pick has appeared in 35 games this season, averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest while shooting 34.4% from beyond the arc. His 2023-24 campaign marks a return to action after missing the previous two seasons due to ongoing knee issues.
Despite Ball’s extended absence, the Bulls have managed to maintain momentum, going 11-6 over the last 17 games. With their Play-In Tournament berth already secured, Chicago will now look to improve its positioning in the final stretch of the regular season.
The Bulls are currently tied with the Miami Heat (35-42) for the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference and sit 1.5 games behind the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks (36-40). Finishing in the eighth seed would give Chicago two chances to advance to the playoffs through the Play-In format, whereas a ninth or tenth seed would require back-to-back wins.
After facing the Hornets (19-58) on Sunday, the Bulls will head to Cleveland for a matchup against the top-seeded Cavaliers (62-15) on Tuesday night. Chicago will then return home for a pivotal contest against the Heat on Wednesday. The Bulls have won both previous meetings against Miami this season, including a 114-109 victory on March 8 led by Josh Giddey’s triple-double performance of 26 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds.
With the postseason approaching, the potential return of Ball could offer the Bulls a timely boost in backcourt depth and defense. The Bulls will continue to monitor his status ahead of Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. ET tip-off in Charlotte.
