Los Angeles Lakers: Who deserves to play in the clutch during playoffs?

Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith

The decision of which players deserve to finish out close games in the playoffs is much more difficult than it looks because the team has added new faces since the season’s suspension with guards J.R. Smith and Dion Waiters.

Waiters in particular has proved this season that he is a reliable scoring option who can create his own shot in the clutch while playing for the Miami Heat in January, along with during the Orlando scrimmages over the past couple of days.

Waiters tallied a performance of 18 points, 6 assists, and one steal in 27 minutes of play against the Washington Wizards Monday afternoon. He was also responsible for sealing the game in the clutch after escaping a double team and scoring a contested layup with 29.3 seconds remaining.

J.R. Smith was the team’s leading scorer in Monday’s scrimmage as he contributed 20 points, and 5 rebounds, with 6 triples, proving that he still has a lot left in the tank. Smith’s experience playing alongside LeBron James could play in his favor, as the pair won the 2016 NBA Championship together.

However, both Waiters and Smith have yet to suit up for an official game with the Lakers, with Smith not playing an actual NBA game since 2018. It is up in the air whether or not Frank Vogel will choose to play one of them during the clutch in the playoffs, but it is something that he will have to consider.