Three takeaways from Monday’s Lakers vs. Heat summer league game
The California Classic summer league tipped off on Monday with a contest between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. The Heat thoroughly outclassed Los Angeles, as they jumped out to a sizable early lead and cruised to a 107-90 victory.
It appeared they simply had better talent, as University of California, Los Angeles product Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 22 points, while big man Nikola Jovic, who was an NBA rookie this past season, posted 21 points and eight rebounds.
But a few players for Los Angeles did show some flashes of promise. The team will be back at it again on Wednesday when it takes on the San Antonio Spurs in its second and final contest of the California Classic.
Here are three players in particular that looked promising on Monday.
Jalen Hood-Schifino has some intriguing potential
Early on, Hood-Schifino, the No. 17 pick in last month’s draft, looked a bit ragged. He dropped a few nice assist attempts, but he was unable to hit shots. He went 0-of-5 from 3-point range, and he finished the first half just 1-of-8 overall.
But the Indiana University standout got things going afterward, going 5-of-11 in the second half. Overall, he notched five rebounds and four assists, although he also committed three turnovers.
Outside shooting is a concern for Hood-Schifino, as is his ability to get to and finish near the hoop. But his mid-range game was on point, especially after halftime, and a couple of times, he did a good job of creating fast-break opportunities, showing he perhaps has more footspeed than previously thought.
Max Christie looks like the real deal
The incoming second-year man looked like he knew what he was doing on Monday. He went 6-of-11 from the field and scored 17 points, and he also added six rebounds, four assists and a steal.
He was just 1-of-3 from downtown, but overall, he was hitting from the perimeter. A few times, he even brought the ball upcourt and showed some nice poise while doing so.
Christie has apparently put on some bulk over the last several months, and that should help him defensively this coming season. Aside from consistently hitting treys, defense is the big question with him — his effort is excellent, but will he be ready to be effective on that end of the floor versus some of the NBA’s best wings?
Maxwell Lewis could be able to contribute
Lewis, a 6-foot-7 wing from Pepperdine University, got just 16 minutes on Monday, but he showed some spark, scoring seven points on 2-of-4 field-goal shooting and 3-of-4 from the free throw line.
He wasn’t that aggressive overall, but he did find the time to drop three assists.
The Lakers have been hungry for a true 3-and-D wing for some time. Although they agreed to sign Taurean Prince on Friday, Lewis developing into a legit player of that ilk would be a major boon for the Purple and Gold. He certainly has the athleticism and hops to do so.
