hristThe Los Angeles Lakers are playing their best basketball of the season and have been among the best in the league since the last week of the NBA Emirates Cup. What is the Lakers’ biggest reason for their recent surge? And has Max Christie shown enough to remain in the team’s plans?
The Lakers’ play has improved over the last few weeks. As a result, they reportedly will take their time deciding whether to make a trade.
Los Angeles Lakers: Biggest Reason For Recent Surge and Young Guard Off The Trading Block?
Los Angeles (20-16) hit the 20 victory mark in game No. 35, marking the first time since they won many contests before game No. 40 since 2021-22. While the Lakers dropped a 119-115 decision to Houston last night, they are 8-4 in their previous 12 and sit in the middle of the playoff hunt. The Lakers are tied for fifth in the West, though they are just three games behind second-place Houston.
Their improved defense is a big reason for the Lakers’ recent solid play. Their defense has been a point of contention all season long, so they traded for Dorian Finney-Smith. They are currently 21st in the league, with a defensive rating of 114.1.
However, before this 12-game stretch, LA was 27th in defensive rating at 117.0 points per 100 possessions. While the 2.1 points might not seem a lot in the grand scheme, they are. The Lakers have shaved a little more than seven points from the previous rating of 117.0 over the last 12 games, and it is down to 109.8 (ninth best) during this stretch.
Why have the Lakers been better on the defensive end?
JJ Redick inserting Christie in the starting lineup has much to do with the defensive improvement, per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. Christie, who was a big part of the Lakers rotation in the early going, replaced D’Angelo Russell with the first unit prior to his trade.
Christie has started 13 games for the Lakers overall, and the Lakers are 9-4 in those games. With Christie in the starting lineup, the Lakers are outscoring their opponents by three points a game (111-108) compared to their -1.6 scoring margin (113.9-112.3) on the season. So, while the Lakers are scoring a little over a point fewer than Christie with the first unit, they are allowing nearly six points less.
Moreover, in the 13 games with Christie with the first unit, the Lakers are holding opponents to 45.1% from the field, which is 2.5% points lower than their season average. Perhaps more telling, the Lakers are limiting their opponents to 11.3 3-pointers at a 31.9% clip—which is two triples and four percentage points lower than their season average.
Regarding specific contributions, LA is outscoring their opponents by 2.2 points a game in the 31 minutes over his 13 starts. By comparison, the Lakers are a minus -1.6 on the season when he is on the floor, and he has a -4.0 rating when coming off the bench.
Christie’s Value
While Christie has made an impact defensively with the first unit, the 21-year-old guard has increased his offensive production. As a starter, Christie averages 11.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists with a shooting slash line of 46.9/41.8/91.7.
In terms of the Lakers as a team, they are producing 72.9 points on 47.7% shooting and 8.1 3-pointers at a 39.7% clip in the 30 minutes they are on the court over these 12 games. Those numbers are the worst of all five starters.
Granted, Christie is playing three minutes a game fewer, and his offensive rating is third-best among the Lakers starters and fourth overall during this stretch. Besides, in comparison to the starters, the Lakers are slightly better at shooting when he is on the floor, particularly from the 3-point line, and are a better ball-handling squad.
However, Christie has significantly helped the Lakers’ defense more than on the offensive end. Christie is a plus defender who thrives on the perimeter. As a weaker interior defender, though, he doesn’t foul a lot, so he gets into trouble.
Christie holds his opponents to about a point a shot, with opponents shooting about 45% from the field and 33.9% from the 3-point line. Granted, he is generally matched against the Lakers’ best offensive perimeter player. De’Aaron Fox and Devin Booker are probably the only two players with significant success against Christie.
Christie’s Improvement
Christie has shown significant offensive improvement and helped make the Lakers formidable defensively in the starting lineup. Still a role player, Christie either gets to the rim or shoots three-pointers. The athletic 21-year-old is a little small to be a prototypical 3-and-D guy, but right now, that is the mold he is headed toward.
Christie is an above-average 3-point marksman who is excellent from the corners. Christie is at his best off the catch, though he can put it on the floor. He needs to continue to work on his jumper. He is good in transition, and defensively, he can create turnovers.
Therefore, Woike believes that instead of looking to trade Christie, the Lakers need him because he is the exact type of player they need.
The Lakers may wait to see how Dorian Finney-Smith, who has been terrific since arriving from Brooklyn, and Jarred Vanderbilt fit in with this rendition of the Lakers. They may need to make another trade or two, The Athletic Jovan Buha wrote after the Lakers’ recent loss at Houston.
Longer term, the Lakers (20-15) still need to make a trade or two to try addressing weaknesses. There are two ways to make up the deficit: add more athleticism or add more size/length. The former path is probably more effective, but the latter might be easier given the Lakers’ prior success playing bigger lineups around Davis and James in 2020 and even 2021. The Lakers continue to evaluate this group and want to see what they look like healthy before determining which roster need is greatest.
Buha added that Finney-Smith could eventually replace Rui Hachimura in the starting lineup, as Redick used DFS rather than Hachimura in his closing lineup. Meanwhile, Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints is reporting that Vanderbilt could return very soon.
According to league sources and some close to the team, there is growing optimism Vanderbilt might make his return within the next week or two, whereupon JJ Redick intends to utilize him in an interesting way. Whenever Vanderbilt does return, sources say he’ll be used up and down the Lakers’ frontcourt, and will almost assuredly spend time at center in Redick’s athletic, switchy vision for the team.”
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