Lakers: 3 Takeaways From the Preseason Win vs Denver Nuggets
Nick Young Might Be Here To Stay After All
After a few rough seasons, The Prophet of Swag has risen once again.
Once Luol Deng went down with a knee injury, Luke Walton turned to his bench to fill the gap in the starting lineup. In Friday’s game against the Denver Nuggets, Walton gave Metta World Peace a crack at the starting role, but after just 5 minutes realized it wasn’t the best idea.
On Sunday, Walton turned to Nick Young which would have seemed like a no brainer two years ago. However, after dealing with injuries on the court and drama off the court, Young hasn’t been himself lately.
Surprisingly, in the 31 minutes he played he racked up 14 points and a handful of defensive rebounds. Yes, you read that right, Nick Young played solid defense. He even had a couple of steals on the night.
Nick Young just sprinted the entire court to get back on defense... pic.twitter.com/r74S1szqGG
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) October 10, 2016
It’s very hard to credit former head coach Byron Scott with anything, especially when it comes to Nick Young, but he might be responsible for Young’s defensive improvement. Scott challenged Young to be a better defender, and the difference is night and day.
Young can thrive with this team, much like he did in Mike D’Antoni’s offense his first season with the Lake Show. The uptempo offense was tailor made for his style of play.
The ball is in his court, literally and figuratively. For the first time in years the Lakers are sitting comfy at their wing positions, but with Young’s resurgence, Walton might need to make time for Uncle P.