Players who suffered the same injury Lonzo Ball has been dealing with in his left knee typically miss one-to-three weeks, a timeline which could have Ball, who has been out for two weeks, back on the court before the end of their current road trip.

The Lakers clarified on Saturday that Ball sprained his MCL when he twisted his left knee in overtime of a victory in Dallas on Jan. 13. Before Sunday, the Lakers had listed Ball as being out with a sore left knee and a minor knee sprain.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if within a couple days, a week, whatever it is, they say he’s ready to start practicing again,” Walton said. “But we’re still training and approaching it as if it’s long-term.”

Ball made an appearance on the court at the end of a light practice – essentially a shoot around for Sunday’s game against the Raptors (32-15).

“He’s feeling better every day,” Walton said, “but he didn’t do any of the shoot around today. He was getting treatment,” Walton said. “Lifting weights and when we finished he came out and just started getting some shots up with Miles (assistant coach Miles Simon).”

Once Ball returns to practice, he could be back in the Lakers lineup very quickly.

“When he participates in a full practice then it’s all about how he feels the next day,” Walton said. “If he feels fine the next day then he can play the next day.”

The vague nature of Ball’s injury had led some to wonder if the star rookie, drafted second overall in June, might be facing an extended absence from the court – beyond the six games he’s already missed due to this injury. Asked if it was “crazy” to think Ball could be out through the All-Star break – Feb. 16-23 – Walton was noncommittal.

“Depends on what you think is crazy,” he said. “He will be back when he is ready to play. When that is, I can’t tell you. Whenever his knee feels good, we are not going to rush him back. Once he gets cleared, it will be about getting him back to practice and then seeing how he feels after that.”

Ball averages 10.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists for the Lakers, whose on-court identity is built around his passing and the pace at which he plays.

After losing the first eight games they played without Ball, the Lakers have rattled off four straight wins, including a 108-103 triumph over the Bulls on Friday in Chicago.

Brandon Ingram stepped up with a game-high 25 points against the Bulls and Jordan Clarkson added 19 points off the bench.

“It’s next man up,” forward Julius Randle said. “I don’t know if it’s what we are doing better. Everybody is just playing hard, playing together, we need everybody. It may be a big night from somebody and a different guy the next night. Just need everybody locked in. When zo gets back, it will be a plus.”

Walton is obviously pleased with his team’s turnaround. It hasn’t even been a month since the Lakers were riding a nine-game losing streak and LaVar Ball was questioning whether Walton should continue as the franchise’s head coach.

Losing Ball to another injury seemed likely to knock the rebuilding team even further off course.

“You go one of two ways,” Walton said. “You lose your point guard, you lose nine straight. You kind of either fold or you figure it out. Our guys have seemed to figure it out for now at least.”

The Lakers lost 101-92 to the Raptors on Nov. 17, a game in which the Lakers led by as many as 17 points but lost after the starters, including Ball, returned to the game and gave up eight straight points that put the Lakers in a hole out of which they could not climb.