Lake Show Life
Fansided

Lakers: Biggest Takeaways From the First 20 Games

By Jeremy Rucker

Nov 29, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next

Swaggy P: The Resurrection

Nov 10, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young (0) celebrates after a play against the Sacramento Kings during the second half at Golden 1 Center. The Lakers won the game 101-91. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 10, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young (0) celebrates after a play against the Sacramento Kings during the second half at Golden 1 Center. The Lakers won the game 101-91. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports /

Heading into the summer, it was a foregone conclusion that Nick Young would wouldn’t be around come October. After barely cracking the rotation under former coach Scott, the final nail in his swaggy coffin presumably came during April’s Snapchat fiasco with rookie D’Angelo Russell.

Oh how the tides have turned.

Not only is Young still donning the Purple and Gold, he’s starting, and putting up the best shooting numbers of his career. It’s real, and it’s happening.

Despite missing the next two to four weeks with a calf injury, his role in this team surprise success remains substantial. He’s shooting a blistering 40.1 percent from behind the arc and is connecting on 2.6 three pointers per game, good for 14th best in the league.

But more important than his scoring resurgence is his mind-boggling commitment on the defensive end.

People, Nick Young is the Lakers’ best perimeter defender.

While that sounds like a sick joke, it’s not, and he’s doing a commendable job tracking opposing players on a nightly basis. Whether it be Jimmy Butler, Paul George, or even Kevin Durant, you’ll find young matched up against them, possession after possession. While his individual statistics won’t reveal a lockdown defender, he’s making a visible effort and more often than not it’s paying off. Whatever, Walton is feeding them in the locker room, the 10-year veteran is eating it up.

When Swaggy returns near the end of the calendar year, hopefully he’ll pick up right back where he left off on both ends of the floor.

Home/Lakers News