Growing confidence and familiarity with the game have contributed to Brandon Ingram‘s gradual improvement this season. The No. 2 overall pick has seen his minutes climb over the course of the season and head coach Luke Walton believes that the exposure has paid off.
“I think it’s more just an overall confidence that he’s gaining from playing night after night after night,” Walton told Joey Ramirez of the team’s official website.
In eight March games, Ingram has averaged 12.3 points and 3.9 rebounds, a sign that Los Angeles’ decision to rest veterans Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng in favor of giving their young players more of an opportunity is paying off.
Ingram’s statistical improvements, Ramirez writes, stem not from an increase in three-point shooting but maturation attacking the hoop and a more reliable mid-range game.
There’s more out of Los Angeles:
- Head coach Luke Walton is proud of D’Angelo Russell for sticking up for Nick Young in a brief altercation with the Bucks this week and didn’t feed into Draymond Green‘s criticism of the second-year guard’s actions. “I was proud of D’Angelo for getting in there and sticking up for his teammate,” Walton told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
- The Lakers will get extra opportunities to scout Lonzo Ball as UCLA squares off in the NCAA Tournament. The 6’7″ guard has spurred a “cultural revolution” for the Bruins, writes Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Daily News, and could be of particular interest to Magic Johnson.
- He may be from Los Angeles but Amir Johnson still plays for the Celtics. That, of course, makes his high praise for recently appointed president of basketball operations Magic Johnson particularly compelling. “I always saw how Magic has a lot of businesses — the Magic Johnson theaters and 24-Hour Fitness and all that — and I think it’s dope that he really committed to the community. He’s doing all this great stuff. It kind of shows you what this job can do for you,” the forward told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
It’s a sacrifice for this season but much smarter to develop than to Chase an 8th seed. This will show who is who
The pick should be Josh Jackson. Don’t buy the hype about Alonzo Ball. the Lakers need a scorer that can play D.
Alonzo? You mean Lonzo, who is a 6′ 7″ point guard that fits their team perfectly? Ok then.
I hope we keep the pick; too bad it’s actually going to be determined by the flip of a coin.
Let’s hope you guys don’t keep the pick as a Knicks fan I’m still salty of 2015, but hey thanks for picking Dangello
Sounds like Amir Johnson will be a Laker next year
Lonzo is a great compliment to Russell and Ingram. Lonzo is a willing passer who doesn’t over dribble
The Lakers will undoubtedly get the #1 pick, but if they don’t and another team drafts Ball, I see a political mess. Ball will foul things up by demanding to be traded and the Lakers won’t part with Ingram, Russell or Randle. Should be fun to watch.
His father made the Lakers comment, not him. And, it’s not undoubtedly. The Celtics will have the best odds.