With Lonzo Ball out for the Los Angeles Lakers, Jordan Clarkson has been the starting point guard. How has he adjusted to the move?
Injuries have become a bit of an issue for the Los Angeles Lakers in the month of December. While the injury to Brook Lopez has been the most severe, the injury to Lonzo Ball might be the most important for the Lakers.
Prior to suffering the shoulder sprain, Ball was really playing well for the Lakers. With his shooting percentages being much improved, he was finding his groove on the offensive end. Even when Ball wasn’t shooting it well, he was doing a great job setting up his teammates and creating a good pace for the Lakers.
With Lonzo Ball out, the Lakers have used Jordan Clarkson as the starting point guard the last two games. Clarkson recently spoke with LakersNation.com about the transition to the starting lineup. Here’s what he had to say.
"“I’m used to coming off the bench and scoring quick, getting them up quick, and when you’re playing at point and you’re playing that many minutes, you’ve gotta pick your spots,” Clarkson told Lakers Nation after a 109-99 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. “It’s pretty difficult.”"
The transition for Clarkson hasn’t been easy, as being the starting point guard involves more responsibility than coming off the bench. As the starter, Clarkson is tasked with getting his teammates involved and in their spots to help them succeed. When coming off the bench, Clarkson is usually looking to score almost every time down the court.
With Ball out, Clarkson has been playing big minutes for the Lakers. On Christmas Day, Clarkson totaled 17 points, seven assists, and six rebounds in 35 minutes. While his totals were good, Clarkson really struggled with his shot, as he went a poor 8-for-24 from the field.
Against the Grizzlies, Clarkson logged big minutes once again and was slightly more efficient. In the loss, Clarkson went 7-for-17 from the field and totaled 22 points. While the shooting numbers were better, Clarkson only totaled two assists in the loss.
Next: Ranking the 10 greatest signings in franchise history
Even though Clarkson is more of a scorer, setting up his teammates early on would help a Lakers offense that hasn’t looked all that good without Ball. When the Lakers are at their best offensively, the ball is moving and the passing is contagious. Without Ball, that hasn’t been the case. Hopefully, Ball will be back soon, and Clarkson can slide back to the bench where he is better suited to succeed.