Chicago Bulls NBA playoff odds: Lonzo Ball not coming to rescue, officially shut down for season

The last time point guard Lonzo Ball played a game for the Chicago Bulls was on Jan. 14, 2022. The Bulls lost that night to Golden State but still had one of the best records in the Eastern Conference at 27-13.  However, the Bulls faded last season without the injured Ball and have been massive disappointments this year without him. In no surprise, the team announced today that Ball officially has been shut down for the rest of the campaign, which probably ends any shot Chicago had of returning to the postseason.

Ball suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee against the Warriors in his last NBA game and was originally expected to miss 6-8 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery, but Ball has now missed 101 games and his team has gone 45-56 in that span. He still can't even run without pain and discomfort. In September, Ball had a second surgery on the knee. 

Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in 35 starts last season and is a terrific defender. Chicago ranks 20th in scoring (113.1 points per game) and 15th in scoring defense (113.4 PPG) this year without him. Ball, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, is still only 25 years old and has two years left on a four-year, $80 million contract. He reportedly has seen numerous doctors and none seem fully know when/if he'll regain full health in the knee.

The Bulls are 26-33 coming out of the All-Star break and sit in 11th place in the East, two games out of the final spot for the play-in tournament. They are +280 at DraftKings to make the play-in tournament this season and +450 long shots to make it past the tournament. The team has an over/under of 36.5 wins, which surely won't be enough for the play-in.

Chicago seems to be cursed with talented young point guards. Ball's injury issues follow those of Derrick Rose and Jay Williams. The team has signed Chicago native Patrick Beverley to provide depth at point guard after Beverley was bought out of his contract by the Orlando Magic. He picked the Bulls over the Warriors in a surprise. 

Beverley could debut Friday when Chicago, on a six-game losing streak, hosts Brooklyn. 

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