Max Christie makes his case to be Lakers’ next stopper

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Lakers guard Max Christie, left, helped force Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, right, into a six-for-21 shooting night on Sunday. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Max Christie reclined in his locker while a recent Grizzlies game played on the Lakers’ locker-room television. He looked relaxed and ready to go.

However, he was, in fact, sick.

“I sound kinda crazy,” he said with his sinuses turning him into an extended relative of Kermit the Frog.

Hours later, he’d walk back into that same locker room with a big smile, convinced he usually plays better when he’s under the weather. More importantly, he returned to his locker armed with another piece of evidence that he is where he belongs, the Lakers’ long-term project starting to pay off.

Sunday in the Lakers’ 116-110 win against Memphis, Christie became the latest player to move into the team’s starting lineup — a search that began last season under Darvin Ham and that’s continued this year with JJ Redick. Against the Grizzlies, Christie scored only seven points and attempted just three shots, but he largely stayed in front of Memphis All-Star Ja Morant, frustrating him into a six-for-21 shooting night and seven turnovers.

It was Morant’s second-worst shooting game of the season, most of it coming with Christie’s chest in front of him.

Read more: LeBron James returns and Lakers overcome Anthony Davis injury scare in win

“He was great,” said LeBron James of Christie.

With James back after his week away from the team while resting his injured left foot, Redick had another chance to tinker with the Lakers’ starting five. After beginning the season defiantly defending a James-Anthony Davis-Rui Hachimura-Austin Reaves-D’Angelo Russell starting group, Redick moved Russell to the bench after nine games for Cam Reddish. Needing more offense, Redick replaced Reddish with rookie Dalton Knecht, but his shooting has fizzled over the last month.

Gabe Vincent, who started the last three games while the Lakers were still dealing with injures — first to Reaves and then to James — was a real option to stay in the first five before the coaches landed on…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/max-christie-makes-case-lakers-210154640.html

Author : LA Times

Publish date : 2024-12-16 21:01:00

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