– Jordan Clarkson
Part of the Lakers’ bench spark on Tuesday night was the play of Jordan Clarkson. Despite the trade rumors, Clarkson has been playing well lately, as he looks more comfortable without Lonzo Ball. The Lakers have certainly asked more of Clarkson with Ball out, and Clarkson has responded.
In the win, Clarkson logged big minutes at the guard spot without Ball. He was able to total 22 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Clarkson was able to score very efficiently, as he finished going 8-for-17 from the field. Maybe most importantly was Clarkson’s ability to hit free throws. Clarkson was able to finish going 6-for-7 from the stripe, which included some clutch ones late in the game.
During the Lakers’ three-game winning streak, Clarkson has played magnificently. With the 22-point game against the Celtics, Clarkson has now scored over 20 points in each game during the road trip.
With Ball still nursing the knee injury, having Clarkson playing at a high level is very important for the Lakers. Even though Clarkson isn’t starting, he is getting a lot of minutes off the bench. Hopefully, he will continue to perform at the level he is now, as the Lakers can certainly compete with him playing at a high level.