The Lakers are nearing full health – or as close as they can get this season – with the return of Ryan Kelly to the lineup tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.
Ryan Kelly will return to the floor for the Lakers tonight against the Spurs. #Lakers
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) November 14, 2014
Kelly has managed just seven minutes on the floor for the Lakers this season, appearing in just one game. He’s battled hamstring injuries since training camp and is struggling to get back to full health.
For a Lakers team sitting tied for 16th in 3-point field goal percentage, bringing in Kelly, who shot 34% from three last year, could not come soon enough.
Most importantly, Kelly will bringing spacing to a Lakers offense that desperately lacks it. For players like Jeremy Lin and even Kobe Bryant who succeed in either driving to the rim or working from the post, having both Carlos Boozer and Jordan Hill in the area hinders their abilities and creates a stagnant offense. With Kelly in the game, he draws defenders away from the paint and creates driving lanes.
To go along with Kelly’s return, guard Nick Young is still on track to return to the lineup on Tuesday in Atlanta. Young is still rehabbing from a thumb injury that has kept him out since training camp. Much like Kelly, he too brings spacing and scoring to a lineup that lacks a second scorer after Bryant.