Los Angeles Lakers: Rajon Rondo has strong 2019-20 season debut
The Los Angeles Lakers had Rajon Rondo available for the first time this season against the Phoenix Suns and he did not disappoint in his season debut.
The Los Angeles Lakers have had to overcome a number of injuries thus far this season. Despite those injuries, they have played very well, already putting together a seven-game winning streak.
That winning streak was snapped by the Toronto Raptors, but it didn’t take long for them to get back to their winning ways. The Lakers went on the road and defeated the surprisingly game Phoenix Suns, 123-115 at Talking Stick Resort Arena. It was the eighth win of the season for the Lakers, but the first game we saw Rajon Rondo on the court.
The last time that we saw Rondo get on the court with the Lakers was during their trip to China. While Rondo isn’t the player that he once was, he will be a welcome addition to a Lakers team that is in need of some more ball-handlers and playmakers.
Rondo will be worked back into things slowly, but if Tuesday’s game was any indication he will provide a positive impact on the team.
In only 14 minutes off the bench, Rondo stuffed the stat sheet. He finished with five points, six rebounds and seven assists, finishing with a plus/minus ratio of +4.
It didn’t take long for Rondo to make a highlight with his former New Orleans Pelicans teammate, Anthony Davis, as the two connected for a nice alley-oop.
https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1194454515098873856
Rondo and Davis should work well together, as the two already developed chemistry from their previous time playing together. Rondo also loves getting the ball to his scorers in a position to put the ball in the basket, and Davis is one of the best scorers the NBA currently has.
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Rondo shot only 1-of-3 from the 3-point line, but if he shoots 33 percent all season, that will at least keep opposing defenses honest. How much he will get onto the court in the future is up for debate, however.
Troy Daniels was out for the game against the Suns, so it was easy to work Rondo into the lineup; he just took Daniels’ minutes. However, once Daniels is healthy, who else will lose minutes?
Alex Caruso‘s minutes look safe. He played 25 against the Suns, finishing with a team-best +15 plus/minus ratio. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope looks like he could be the odd man out, as he played only eight minutes against the Suns after receiving only four against the Raptors.
With Avery Bradley and Danny Green seemingly locked into the starting backcourt roles, Rondo should continue coming off the bench and help shore things up on the backcourt.
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Quinn Cook, Caldwell-Pope and Daniels are the three players who could see their minutes cut with Rondo back in the fold.