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Lonzo Ball Misses Practice Ahead of Bulls-Pistons Matchup

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball could be out against the Detroit Pistons.
Justin Grasso|
Feb 2, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2) looks on in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Feb 2, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2) looks on in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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As the Detroit Pistons gear up for a back-to-back set against the Chicago Bulls, they’ll have to monitor the status of one of their opponent’s key players.

Chicago guard Lonzo Ball was not a participant in Monday’s practice. According to reports, Ball is dealing with an illness, putting his Tuesday night status against the Pistons in jeopardy.

It’s unclear if Ball will be a part of the matchups at all.

If Ball can’t get the nod to play on Tuesday, it would mark his third absence in a row for the Bulls. When the Bulls paid a visit to the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 5, Ball was ruled out ahead of the 19-point loss.

Three nights later, the Bulls hosted the Golden State Warriors. Once again, Chicago came up way short with a 21-point loss and didn’t have Ball on the court for the action.

The last time Ball played was during the Bulls’ February 4 matchup against the Miami Heat. Ball started and checked in for 28 minutes. He struggled from the field, making just two of his nine shots and scoring five points.

While Ball has avoided notable setbacks since his 15-game stretch of absences back in November, Chicago is still taking it easy with him after he returned from a two-year recovery. Even if Ball is cleared for one of the two matchups between Detroit and Chicago this week, he’s highly unlikely to play in both, as Ball has been out for back-to-back sets this season.

Since returning, Ball has appeared in 30 games for the Bulls. He’s been posting averages of seven points, four assists, and three rebounds. The veteran guard has knocked down 34 percent of his threes on five attempts per game.

The Bulls and the Pistons will tip-off at 8 PM ET on Tuesday.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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