Lonzo Ball returned to the Lakers lineup, albeit as a sub, in Friday's 124-102 victory over the Mavericks.

It marked the rookie's first action since he injured the medial collateral ligament in his left knee Jan. 13.

Ball logged 17 minutes — three under the limit proscribed going into the game — and looked very much like himself

"I thought he looked good," coach Luke Walton told reporters afterward (via ESPN.com). "I thought his shot looked good."

The Lakers play again Saturday, but Ball will take the day to assess how the knee responds to game action.

"He will be out (Saturday) and get treatment and let his body kind of recover, and we will see how he feels. And if he feels good, he will get to the gym early (Saturday) and get a workout in," Walton said.

Here are three takeaways from Lonzo Ball's return to action with the Lakers:

1. He was so rusty, he forgot how to dress for success.

Ball waited 41 days to get back on the court, and it took a bit longer for him to check into Friday's game.

He and Isaiah Thomas incurred a delay-of-game penalty while trying to check in with 6:01 to go in the first quarter.

"I forgot I had my shirt on over the warmups," Ball said sheepishly (via the Los Angeles Times). "I was trying to (un)zip it and it wasn't going down. I looked and I had to take it out."

2. But once he got in, he and Thomas fed off each other

The Lakers led, 20-5, when Ball finally entered the game — to loud cheers. His response? He immediately drained a 3-pointer.

That was just the beginning as Ball and Thomas fed off each other.

"I liked it a lot," Ball said of playing with Thomas. "Two playmakers on the court, I think we benefit from it. Look forward to playing with him all the time."

Ball — coming off the bench for the first time and playing under the minutes restriction — played all of his minutes with Thomas also on the floor.

"We are just two basketball players who know how to make plays," Thomas said. "He is a smart basketball player, even watching from afar. He is a guy that likes to push the pace and likes to get everybody involved, and I'm a guy that likes to figure it out on the fly. I think we can play really well together because we do different things at a high level."

Ball's final line: nine points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Not bad after missing 15 games.

3. But Julius Randle stole the show

Randle recorded his fifth career triple-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

"I was just trying to play to my strengths," Randle said. "Use my advantages and be patient."

He was two assists from the triple-double when he checked back into the game with 7:32 to play. He knew it, too. His 10th assist went to Brandon Ingram, giving Randle his second career triple-double against his hometown team.

"I think he just did a really nice job tonight or reading the defense and making the simple play and then guys knocked down shots for him," Walton said.