Josh Hart has been performing very well of late for the Los Angeles Lakers. For Hart, he isn’t surprised by his success.
The Los Angeles Lakers were able to have a very successful road trip despite their starting point guard being out. Going 3-2 on the road trip is very encouraging for the Lakers with the trade deadline approaching.
One of the reasons why the Lakers were able to have a good road trip was the play of Josh Hart. While Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball have received most of the attention as rookies for the Lakers, Josh Hart has performed well when given the opportunity.
In the last two games, Luke Walton has made an adjustment to the starting lineup, and it has certainly paid off. Rather than starting Tyler Ennis, the Lakers have instead with the starting lineup that doesn’t feature one of their point guards.
With Hart in the starting lineup, the Lakers were able to defeat the Brooklyn Nets and the Oklahoma City Thunder. In both games, Hart played very well. Recently, Josh Hart spoke about having success via Spectrum Sports.
"“Not really. Not to be cocky or anything like that. Just coming from Villanova, that program, that’s one thing I’m going to praise coach Wright about. He taught me how to handle certain things, he taught me how to never break, and that kind of thing. Not surprised, just kind of knowing what I can do.”"
In the win against the Nets, Hart was able to record a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds in 35 minutes. Following up that performance was another really good one against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the win against the Thunder, Hart totaled another double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Seeing Hart help the Lakers on the glass is certainly a great thing to see. Ball was an excellent rebounder as a guard, and that is something that they have been missing with him out. In addition to him helping on the glass, Hart has also shot the ball very well from deep. In the two wins, Hart combined to shoot 5-for-9 for three-point range.
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As one of the best college players in the country last season, seeing Hart have success in the NBA should come as no surprise. At Villanova, Hart was arguably the best player on one of the best teams in the country. Even though Hart’s minutes have been inconsistent this season, he has certainly performed well when he plays.