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Los Angeles Lakers: 10 important storylines for 2019 – Part 1

By Addam Goldman

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 23: The Los Angeles Lakers huddle up prior to the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on December 23, 2018 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 23: The Los Angeles Lakers huddle up prior to the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on December 23, 2018 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 14: Los Angeles Lakers Guard Rajon Rondo (9) warms up before the Portland Trail Blazers versus the Los Angles Lakers game on November 14, 2018, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Icon Sportswire) /

9. “Playoff Rondo”

Last year, during the regular season Rajon Rondo averaged 8.3 points, 6.7 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game while playing 26 minutes. Last year during the playoffs Rondo averaged 10.3 points, a league-high 12.2 assists, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game while playing 33.6 minutes.

Everybody knows about “Playoff Rondo” and “National TV Rondo,” but Christmas Day was the first time I really understood how good Rondo can be for the Lakers. He brought Christmas pain to the Warriors and destroyed any hope they had of winning that game.

I’m getting little tingles running up and down my spine thinking about how devastating LeBron James and Rajon Rondo pick-and-rolls in the 4th quarter could be. There is no way to stop those two. They both have incredible passing ability, they can both score at the rim, and they’re both shooting above league average from behind the arc. If they start to run pick-and-roll action together during close games they’d be fun to watch.

The question is: How many times are we going to see the best version of Rajon Rondo during the regular season? If Rondo can play in the same manner that he did against the Warriors even half the time, that would add a whole new dimension to the Lakers offense and would certainly help propel the Purple and Gold into a top seed out west.

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