Xavier Henry: Finishing is the Goal

Xavier Henry was a pleasant surprise last season.  He was a quiet acquisition for the Lakers last season.

During the preseason last year, he made his name known to Laker fans.  He started out with a 29 point outburst against the Golden State Warriors.

Thanks to GD’s Latest Highlights for the great footage.

He made the game look simple.  It just took him a couple mid-range jumpshots, a couple crossovers, and a couple of stutter-steps to the hoop, and he finished with 29 points.  Laker fans finally saw someone outside of Kobe Bryant finish athletically around the hoop.  He showed a soft touch off the glass.  He showed body control.  He showed aggression.

His start to the year was slow.  Every fifth game, he’d have tremendous output.  He wasn’t comfortable coming off of the bench.  When Laker players started getting injured, his playing time increased.  Leading into December, he was consistent with a double-digit scoring average.  His shooting was very streaky, but his aggression got him to the free throw line.  The Lakers had someone that attacked the basket well.

Unfortunately, after December, he was out for another two full months.  He came back to the Lakers late in the season to provide a spark, but the team was already on their downward spiral.

The key for Xavier Henry is just to stay healthy.  That is a common theme for the entire team, but especially in his case.  The rest of the Laker team has been involved in scrimmages and workouts since the beginning of September.  Xavier Henry isn’t ready to go.