3. Role players step up
When a team deals with multiple injuries, such as the Los Angeles Lakers are, they need other players to step up. Without two key rotation players in Rajon Rondo and Kyle Kuzma, other players received minutes tonight and they produced.
Jared Dudley was inserted into the lineup and had a great game. He knocked down three 3-pointers and pulled down two rebounds in 21 minutes. He gave the team productive minutes, as he finished with a game-high plus/minus ratio of +16. Dudley also showed how great of a teammate he is, getting ejected while standing up for Dwight Howard.
"You've got to stand up for your guys. Sometimes it's a hard foul, sometimes it's pushing..."@JaredDudley619 talks with @LakersReporter about knocking down three triples and being ejected from tonight's game vs. the Magic. pic.twitter.com/Z4smtxiIPf
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) December 12, 2019
Troy Daniels finished +8 in seven minutes while Alex Caruso continued to do what he does best, finishing the game +13 in 28 minutes. Caruso has been a lifesaver for the Lakers, as his versatility has helped fill in the holes for injured players.
Speaking of lifesavers, everyone has done a complete 180 in regards to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Who knows where the team would have been these last few weeks without him. He played well once again against the Magic, knocking down four 3-pointers and going 5-of-10 overall for 15 points, adding three steals as well.