HOUSTON — Lonzo Ball missed his seventh game with a right wrist injury on Saturday night but there's no plan to shut him down for the rest of the season, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said.
The Rockets beat the Bulls 117-114 Saturday night.
Ball did not travel with the Bulls on the latest six-game road trip, which opened against the Houston Rockets. Chicago has just 15 games left in the regular season.
Ball's injury is on the same wrist that kept him out the first 15 games of the season. Donovan said there's no timeline for his return, but he has not heard anyone above him suggest that Ball should sit out the rest of the regular season.
"I think the intention that he's doing right now is just trying to get himself back to playing. Doctors aren't saying, 'Hey listen, you gotta sit out.' It's just when he feels that he can do things on the court that he's comfortable with," Donovan said before the game at Houston.
Donovan also said there's no plan at this point for Ball to have surgery in the offseason.
Ball has played in 35 games this season, averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Jalen Green scored 28 points and the Rockets extended their winning streak to six straight games with the win over the Bulls on Saturday.
Green also added six rebounds for the Rockets. Alperen Sengun scored 24 points while adding 15 rebounds. Fred VanVleet shot 8 for 20 (5 for 14 from 3-point range) and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 23 points.
Coby White led the way for the Bulls with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Tre Jones finished with 19 points and 6 assists for Chicago.
VanVleet put up 18 second-quarter points for the Rockets, who trailed 65-60 at halftime. The Rockets took the lead for good with 5:52 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer from Green to make it a 100-98 game.
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2) has missed the last seven games with a wrist injury, but the team isn't ready to shut him down for the season. AP