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Lonzo Ball seeing key minutes with Cavaliers as teammates learn his passing tendencies
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- Lonzo Ball seeing key minutes with Cavaliers as teammates learn his passing tendencies
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers know Lonzo Ball will be a key part of what they hope to accomplish this season, as long as he stays healthy.
The next step is to learn how to best complement him on the floor.
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Ball, acquired in a trade for Isaac Okoro in the offseason, was tabbed to help answer the Cavs' question marks off the bench. Ty Jerome left via free agency, and the Cavs saw how badly they needed some depth at point guard when Darius Garland went down with an injury during last year's playoff run.
Enter Ball , who is returning from effectively one of the lengthiest injury stints in recent NBA memory. He missed two full seasons before playing just 35 games last season with the Bulls.
But although Ball was acquired to see significant minutes — which was accelerated by Garland's toe surgery and a few other injuries, though the Cavs won't push it too much considering his injury history — he also has his own unique style of play. It's something the Cavs welcomed, but it's also an element to which they must adjust as Ball fits into the rotation.
Ball has to find a rhythm with his new teammates and vice versa.
Cavaliers guard Lonzo Ball shoots over Atlanta Hawks forward Kristaps Porzingis in the second half, Nov. 2, 2025, in Cleveland.
"I think he's still finding his footing," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. "You can still see the miscommunications. … I love the guy, I love his game. It's going to keep getting better."
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Through his first five games of the season, Ball was averaging 5.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 23.8 minutes. He then had eight points, six rebounds and three assists in the Cavs win over the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 2 .
And Ball played key minutes down the stretch as the Cavs secured their fourth win of the season. More and more, the Cavs are finding another option to handle the ball in critical moments, even if it hasn't been perfect. The regular season is all about the Cavs preparing for the playoffs, so the trial-and-error part of it all is acceptable.
"That's just part of the building," said Donovan Mitchell , who poured in 37 points in the win. "When you have a guy that knows the game, his IQ level, his passing ability is amazing. It makes everybody's life a hell of a lot easier."
It's requiring the other Cavs on the floor to be looking for passes in moments and situations they hadn't before, since Ball often looks for situations to push the ball up the floor that not many other guards can replicate.
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"He's a guy that loves to throw it down to the big in the seal in transition, and we're just not used to it," Atkinson said. "We really haven't had a player that likes that. So our guys are adjusting."
Cavaliers guard Lonzo Ball looks to shoot in the first quarter against the Toronto Raptors, Oct. 31, 2025, in Cleveland.
Lonzo Ball stats, contract
The Cavs won't increase his minutes too much. There's a real ceiling in that regard, as they don't want to risk his surgically repaired knee. But they might be altering when he is on the floor to more high-leverage spots, especially as the rest of the roster becomes more in sync with his passing tendencies.
"I think we have really good film sessions as a team," Ball said. "It's open dialogue, it's fairly new for everybody, so obviously there's going to be some growing pains. But we're trying to get over that as soon as possible."
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The Cavs like the potential that's evolving, even if there are growing pains with some turnovers for now. They're trying to find silver linings with Garland, Max Strus and Sam Merrill all sidelined for the time being, and Ball's immersion into the rotation is one of them.
"I said this in the beginning of the year, I want Lonzo to be Lonzo," Atkinson said. "So I'm OK right now with him playing his game until we really can define his role when we start getting guys back."
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavaliers utilizing Lonzo Ball's passing ability in key moments
