Los Angeles Lakers: 10 greatest small forwards in Lakers history

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 11: Metta World Peace #37 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on after the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on April 11, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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Los Angeles Lakers:10 greatest small forwards in Lakers history

1974- Close Up of Cazzie Russell, basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in uniform. Undated color slide. /

No. 8: Cazzie Russell

“Jazzy Cazzie” was one of the NBA’s best all-time streak shooters. When he got hot, it seemed like he couldn’t miss, no matter where he shot from.

He was originally the top pick of the 1966 pick by the Knicks. Although he didn’t have the type of career you’d expect from the No. 1 pick, he still was a major weapon for New York and was a valued member of their 1970 title team.

After starring for Golden State for three years, he was traded to the Lakers, where he played another three seasons, all in the mid-1970’s. Unfortunately, that was a time that the team started to fall on leaner times, and Russell was nearing the end of his 12-year NBA career.

But Cazzie brought his jump shot with him to L.A., and was a big contributor, both as a starter and reserve. He averaged 14.5 points in his roughly 200-game Laker stint. And even more impressively for a player who mostly shot from the outside, he made over 47 percent of his field goal attempts, the highest of his career.

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