It's simple: these final four games of the season for the Los Angeles Lakers are going to be a serious struggle. No Luka Doncic, no Austin Reaves, and they have to play the Oklahoma City Thunder, a Golden State team that just got Stephen Curry back, the Phoenix Suns, and lastly the Utah Jazz.
It's not going to be an easy task, and while many fans are looking at LeBron James to carry the core through this home stretch of the regular season, there is someone else they can count on. Luke Kennard, or should I say, Luka Kennard.
Despite falling to the Dallas Mavericks 134-128 Sunday night, the Lakers faithful saw flashes of what the key to closing this final stretch out strong is: letting Luke Kennard run the offense.
Out of everyone on the Lakers aside from the big three and maybe Marcus Smart, Kennard has the strongest lead guard skills. Tight handle, a money jump shot, can score on the inside, smart passer, and knows how to read a defense. This skill set was on full display Sunday night, along with other skills that can help make Kennard a mini-version of Luka down the stretch.
Luke Kennard must continue to prove himself as way more than just a shooter
The former Duke Blue Devil had 15 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists, and only three turnovers on Sunday. Now, Kennard did have a very inefficient night, going 5-for-17 from the field and 1-for-5 from 3, but those types of shooting performances are like a needle in a haystack for Kennard.
Throughout his NBA career, Kennard has always been labeled a shooter. Someone who could come down off screens, pindowns, and hit open triples off the catch. Sunday night, we saw why he was a former lottery pick.
Coming out of Duke, Kennard was always praised as an elite 3-point shooter, but there was also intrigue about him as a playmaker and scorer in general. This was something the Detroit Pistons struggled to unlock, which led to the label that Kennard is just a shooter.
Now, nearly nine years after being drafted and with him now on his fifth team, fans are starting to get a glimpse of the full Luke Kennard experience.
If Kennard continues to get the level of involvement on offense and minutes he got Sunday, the Lakers may just be alright down the stretch. With Luka out, the Lakers are much weaker in a ton of areas because he impacts the game in so many different ways. That is why Kennard is so crucial as LA closes its season.
His ability to check a million different boxes while still bringing elite shooting and good scoring makes him such a weapon for JJ Redick. If these final four games go positively for the Lakers, Kennard will play a huge part in it.