Los Angeles Lakers: Five positive takeaways from loss to the Pelicans

Julius Randle continues strong play

Julius Randle is aware of his impending free agency this summer, and he’s looking to get paid. His dominating play as of late is making it increasingly harder for the Lakers to consider parting ways with the 23-year old forward. Last night was the sixth game in a row where Randle has scored  +20 points and was the fifth game in the past six where he’s posted a double-double with points and rebounds, per ESPN.

Randle has been a monster as of late. He’s improved with every passing month this season. Randle has increased his scoring average from 15.3 in January and 19.4 in February to an impressive 23.1 points per game in March. Furthermore, according to Basketball-Reference, he’s shooting less than 6 percent of his shots from deep, focusing on attacking the rim with his bully-ball style to shoot a spectacular 56.6 percent from the field.

This level of production puts Randle in elite company. He currently has the 9th best field goal percentage in the league, per NBA stats. Randle’s play has stood out because his efficiency from the field comes without the offensive ability of most power forwards in the league. This is because Randle’s jump shot is almost non-existent.

Despite this fact, he’s managed to find a way to score +20 points just off layups, short floaters and hook-shots. No matter the opponent, Randle is sure to give them bruises due to his play. Last night’s game was just another example of Randle’s brutal play. He totaled 23 points and 10 rebounds on 9-16 shooting.