Los Angeles Lakers kicked off the preseason campaign against the Golden State Warriors with a 125-108 loss. Of course, the LA lineup was missing its stars, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Moreover, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell also played one half each. Having said that, one player stood out the most during the opening game, which got the team excited.
Max Christie, who is coming off a sophomore season, put together 15 points, one assist, and two rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. The rookie failed to gain more playing time last season due to a roster overhaul. But he made a point in the Summer League, which will likely give him an advantage next season. Meanwhile, the Lakers coach and Anthony Davis had nothing to praise for the rookie.
Darvin Ham, Anthony Davis Praise Max Christie’s Skills, Urge Him To Be More Aggressive!
Max Christie, a 6’6″ shooting guard, was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in first round of the 2023 NBA Draft. The Michigan State University standout arrived in Los Angeles with high expectations, thanks to his scoring ability, basketball IQ, and defensive prowess. The all-rounder sent waves of excitement among the fans after dominating the Summer League this year. Eyeing his rise, LA gave Christie an opportunity to feature in the preseason opener vs. the Warriors, where he left a profound impact on the team’s top members. Coach Darvin Ham believes Max is going to be their most versatile player in the coming years.
He’s got the skills and confidence but needs to be a lot more aggressive in his approach. Anthony Davis, the Lakers’ future leader in making, also echoed Ham’s sentiments. “His ability to score, toughness, he defends. He does it all,” said Davis about Max Christie. Having said that, AD also felt that Christie is gonna need to have that aggressive mindset at some point this season. LA is a franchise built on the same mindset, and thus, each player needs to be in the same sync. Regardless, Davis is confident that Christie will continue to grow as the season progresses and will eventually develop the necessary attitude. It’s only been one preseason game, and fans can expect the rookie to feature in all five preseason games.
Lakers Encounter Injury Scare On Day 1 Of Preseason
In the last quarter of the preseason game between Lakers and Warriors, LA’s newly added forward Cam Reddish sprained his right ankle and exited the game. Reddish, who signed a two-year deal with the team this off-season, struggled during his limited appearance on the court. He went 0-for-4 from the field and 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
While Reddish did contribute with two rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block, his exit left a deep scar on the Lakers’ early season run. LA wants to storm through the gates early this season to avoid the mishaps of the 2022-23 NBA season. Thus, these injury concerns will directly dent that ultimate goal. There still hasn’t been an official word regarding the extent of the injury. But it’s advisable for the fans to keep their fingers crossed, given the purple and gold’s injury history.
