Max Christie reclined in his locker whereas a current Grizzlies recreation performed on the Lakers’ locker-room tv. He seemed relaxed and able to go.
Nevertheless, he was, the truth is, sick.
“I sound kinda crazy,” he mentioned together with his sinuses turning him into an prolonged relative of Kermit the Frog.
Hours later, he’d stroll again into that very same locker room with an enormous smile, satisfied he often performs higher when he’s beneath the climate. Extra importantly, he returned to his locker armed with one other piece of proof that he’s the place he belongs, the Lakers’ long-term venture beginning to repay.
Sunday within the Lakers’ 116-110 win in opposition to Memphis, Christie turned the newest participant to maneuver into the workforce’s beginning lineup — a search that started final season beneath Darvin Ham and that’s continued this yr with JJ Redick. In opposition to the Grizzlies, Christie scored solely seven factors and tried simply three pictures, however he largely stayed in entrance of Memphis All-Star Ja Morant, irritating him right into a six-for-21 taking pictures night time and 7 turnovers.
It was Morant’s second-worst taking pictures recreation of the season, most of it coming with Christie’s chest in entrance of him.
“He was great,” mentioned LeBron James of Christie.
With James again after his week away from the workforce whereas resting his injured left foot, Redick had one other likelihood to tinker with the Lakers’ beginning 5. After starting the season defiantly defending a James-Anthony Davis-Rui Hachimura-Austin Reaves-D’Angelo Russell beginning group, Redick moved Russell to the bench after 9 video games for Cam Reddish. Needing extra offense, Redick changed Reddish with rookie Dalton Knecht, however his taking pictures has fizzled during the last month.
Gabe Vincent, who began the final three video games whereas the Lakers had been nonetheless coping with injures — first to Reaves after which to James — was an actual possibility to remain within the first 5 earlier than the coaches landed on Christie.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Redick mentioned. “And we really feel like as a staff Gabe has been fantastic the last couple weeks, particularly the defensive end with his physicality and on-ball stuff. And he’s also had some good offensive games as well. I think the size and just the athleticism, and the fact that Max has a really good feel for the game and he can move, was important.”
Christie, who turns 22 in February, re-signed with the Lakers this summer time for 4 years and $32 million, an funding that raised some eyebrows across the league after two uneven seasons to start out his profession.
However the Lakers and prime basketball government Rob Pelinka believed Christie’s athleticism, his emotional intelligence and his two-way potential had been robust sufficient that he merited the payday and a season-opening spot within the workforce’s rotation.
Christie, although, struggled badly to start out the season and fell out of Redick’s rotation, relegated to late-game mop-up obligation in wins over Philadelphia and Toronto earlier than a DNP on Nov. 13 in opposition to Memphis.
Accidents, although, opened the door for Christie shortly after that and he’s been a extra constant presence since then.
“I think just being in the fire, to be honest, is how I’ve grown,” Christie mentioned Sunday. “I think in previous years, I haven’t been in a lot of high-pressure, high-stakes situations. This year, I’ve had a few of those and OKC, I obviously made a big mistake in that one.”
Lakers guard Max Christie, left, tries to chop off a drive by Suns guard Devin Booker throughout a recreation final month.
(Rick Scuteri / Related Press)
That mistake — an intentional foul the Lakers didn’t have to present — was essential and helped value them a win in opposition to the Thunder that might’ve helped snap the Lakers’ out of a funk that lingered till Sunday.
But that’s not the way it occurred. As an alternative, the error merely meant Christie must get higher subsequent time.
With the Lakers in Atlanta, it was Christie once more on an island on the finish of regulation, this time with Hawks All-Star guard Trae Younger in entrance of him. With the clock winding down in a tie recreation, Christie blocked Younger’s potential game-winner, sending the sport into extra time.
Sunday in opposition to Morant in his first recreation as a starter alongside Davis, James, Hachimura and Reaves, Christie’s athleticism was continuously on show. He rapidly moved his toes to maintain one of many NBA’s most dynamic guards from attending to the paint. He challenged Morant’s pictures on the level of launch, Christie leaping with one of many NBA’s finest leapers.
It was as a lot of an affect as a participant could make with out touching the ball.
“My mind was just focused on trying to make it as tough as I could for him,” Christie mentioned. “He’s a really dynamic player. He’s a really good player. So I want to just do as good of a job as I can, just making it tough for him. And I thought I did a decent job of that tonight.”
Because the Lakers transfer into commerce season, groups seemingly will press the Lakers for Christie’s availability. He’s one of many Lakers’ few younger gamers with commerce worth. But a cleaner pathway for the workforce’s development is perhaps relying on Christie to proceed his enchancment, the two-way wing the Lakers desperately want perhaps already of their locker room.
“Just in terms of his long-term outlook and his growth, I think these opportunities are great for him,” Redick mentioned. “I’ll reference the Oklahoma City game where he made a mistake at the end and we play a week later in Atlanta and he’s in sort of the same situation at the end of regulation and he gets a block on Trae Young. With young guys these opportunities are great for them to grow not only confidence but also just the learned experience of our knowledge of being in different situations.”
With Christie, you by no means need to doubt his understanding of the scenario, a mature particular person regardless of being one of many youngest gamers on the roster. He’s been affected person with himself. And it’s paying off.
“It feels good and it’s pretty cool just to see the progression and the growth in terms of just me over the last three years, to be honest. And I think I think I’ve slowly gotten a little bit better,” Christie mentioned. “I’ve been put in more tense situations, more important situations. And I think these are good experiences for me, guarding a dynamic part, like Ja, being in at the end of the game. And I think it’s cool for me just to reflect on the growth that I’ve had.
“And then I want to keep that going.”
