Even though some thought guard Jordan Clarkson was on his way out of LA this summer, JC has been rather solid off the bench for the Lakers so far this season.
Granted the Los Angeles Lakers have many games left to play this year, a 1-2 start to the campaign is not necessarily sexy. Due to the plethora of hype that plagued them all summer long, a losing record seems hard to believe.
However, while many were thrilled about Lakers basketball again and some of the new pieces, reality has sunk in, to some degree. It is still going to take time for Los Angeles to cement itself as a competitive, feared group night after night.
While Lonzo Ball has showcased glimpses of his all-around game already, the Lakers’ defense remains a confounding puzzle. Through their first three games, they have not allowed less than 108 points.
Certainly, it is still early enough for some of the wrinkles to be ironed out. That is irrefutable. On the other hand, some fans are already tired of seeing 60-70 point first halves from the opposition.
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One aspect of the ball club that has been pleasing to Lakers lovers, though, has been the steady play of Jordan Clarkson. He has been getting buckets for his team, something they desperately need.
Drew Garrison of SB Nation explains a large part of why Clarkson’s offense has been an important ingredient thus far.
In Garrison’s piece, he remarks that “the Lou Williams training wheels are long gone for the reserves.”
This is fair to point out because until Lou got traded this past year, he was their go-to man off the pine. Even when other guys were ice cold from the field, Williams filled up the stat sheet on a consistent basis.
Despite a few games being a small sample size, JC is starting to fill up the big shoes left behind by his former teammate. Indeed, there is plenty of work that remains to be taken care of. Nonetheless, it is an encouraging sign on the grounds that some have questioned Clarkson’s playing style throughout his Lakers’ tenure.
Bill Oram of The Orange County Register recently shed light on this and why JC seems to be better suited as a backup.
"He’s found his success despite playing just 21.7 minutes per game and adjusting to a mandate from the coaching staff that he break out of being an isolation player on offense, something he struggled to do his first three seasons with the team."
Whether it relates to the adjustments, lesser pressure, or a bit of both, Jordan is most definitely succeeding. He is maximizing every opportunity head honcho Luke Walton gives him.
It is riveting because, as Oram indicated, Los Angeles’ sixth man is playing fewer minutes than he did in 2016-2017. By virtue of not playing close to 30 minutes a night, JC’s energy appears to always be high.
In tune with this, it has seemed to contribute to his own confidence. He is playing a lot more freely.
This is crucial provided that scoring the ball is Clarkson’s strongest area, to begin with. When he was a starter, though, greater scrutiny was there for him to shine on both ends of the floor.
Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report discerns the former point very much so. On account of the guard now having a secondary role, Zucker asserts that JC’s offensive gifts can provide heavier returns.
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"As a reserve… Clarkson can feast on second units. His defensive issues are less of a liability for Los Angeles as well since he’s not constantly guarding starting point guards."
Zucker brings up an interesting idea when the defensive side of the coin is perused. Given that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the Lakers’ starting shooting guard, the bulk of the stress will be on KCP to play “D” against tough, speedy guards in lieu of JC.
It does not mean that Clarkson should just forget about defense. Contrarily, what he does on that end of the floor may not be quite as magnified as it once was.
The fourth-year Laker’s primary duty is to be a microwave of sorts. As a result, this lone fact solidifies the 25-year-old veteran’s effectiveness on offense.
Not too long back, Clarkson shared his thoughts on why he thinks he has done well up to this point. As transcribed by Oram, number 6 imparted the following.
"Asked why he was finding so many scoring opportunities, Clarkson replied, “Just knowing my role, knowing what I got to do when I come off the bench in terms of being aggressive, being a playmaker and scoring the ball for us.”"
Yes, the season is still rather young. There is no denying that claim. Although that is true, JC’s presence has been felt.
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In a perfect world, all Lakers fans can hope for is that he remains hot. For Jordan’s sake, too, staying hot is similarly vital. This is plausible to argue since it could very well determine his future in the City of Angels.