Los Angeles Lakers: Josh Hart is playing well off the bench
By Nick Ziegler
Los Angeles Lakers first-round pick Josh Hart has been getting some more playing time lately, and it is certainly well-deserved.
With the last pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Josh Hart. At Villanova, Hart was a proven winner with a National Championship to his credit. Also, Villanova emerged as the team to beat in the Big East with Hart.
Even though he didn’t get as much national attention as some of the great freshmen last season, Hart was one of the best college players in the country. As a four-year player, Hart improved every season he was at Villanova.
As a great two-way player in college, Hart made a lot of sense for the Lakers in the draft. As one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA last season, the Lakers needed to add some players that could lock in on that end of the court. With his size and speed, Hart is certainly a capable defender right away in the NBA.
So far this season, Hart is starting to establish a nice role for himself off the bench for the Lakers. In the last four games, Hart has played at least 15 minutes in each of them, and his production has been good.
As expected, Hart is playing very well on the defensive end for the Lakers. He is bringing a lot of energy off the bench, and he has totaled four steals in the last three games. In addition to playing well defensively, Hart is also rebounding well at the guard position. Since getting minutes in the last four games, Hart is averaging just under four rebounds per game, which is excellent for a guard off the bench.
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At Villanova, Hart was one of their top options offensively. Even though he isn’t there yet for the Lakers, he is scoring efficiently with a 64.3 shooting percentage from the floor. Hart has certainly played well enough to have earned the minutes that he is receiving off the bench. As one of the three first-round picks of the Lakers that is already in the rotation, their 2017 draft class is looking good.