On January 1, Beijing time, Lakers new signing Stanley Johnson once again made a debut, in the 139-106 victory over the Blazers, he played 23 minutes, 4 shots 3, including 3 of 3 three points, 2 of 2 free throws, a total of 10 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, plus or minus +25. The once-no-ball winger is now an important piece of the Lakers' puzzle. After the game, coachEs Vogel and James both praised Stanley Johnson, saying how important he was to the team.
The Lakers previously signed Johnson on a 10-day short contract, but according to the current situation, the team will definitely renew his contract. The Lakers traded away Rondo in exchange for Valentine (part of the contract guarantee), but the latter is expected to be laid off, thus making room for the Lakers to renew Johnson.
Coach Vogel was in a good mood after the Lakers' big win over the Blazers, and on Stanley Johnson, Coach Wo said: "I like his physical fitness, he is not only fast, but also very strong. ”
Vogel also pointed out that in this game to beat the Blazers, because of the presence of Stanley Johnson, it made the pace in the package lillard faster.
In this game, Lillard was limited by the Lakers' defense, he shot 5 of 15 from the field, 1 of 8 from three-point range, and only had 18 points and 7 assists, plus-minus -17. Apparently, Lillard was prevented from dying, in part thanks to Stanley Johnson's assistance in the bag.
At 1.98 meters tall, Johnson was the 8th pick in 2015, debuted in the Pistons, and later played for the Pelicans and Raptors. This season, Stanley Johnson initially did not get an NBA contract. The Lakers gave multiple players a short 10-day contract when he couldn't play because of health and safety agreements.
Johnson took the opportunity well and proved himself to play a big role in the Lakers system. The Lakers use a five-small lineup and need a wing player like Johnson who is fast and strong. Johnson made a cameo appearance as a big forward, and he flew all over the field, helping James guard the basket and sometimes assisting the outside players in defense.
James appreciated Johnson: "He brings resilience to the team's flanks, he's tough on the defensive end, and those are traits that have helped the Lakers become one of the best teams in the last few seasons." ”
Lakers coach Vogel plans to continue to reuse the five small lineups in the future, which means Johnson will still get more playing time. The Lakers play five small lineups, James's offensive potential can be fully tapped, Westbrook is happy to play a triple-double, and Johnson does a lot of dirty and tiring work, doing a good job of defense and shooting three-pointers. Of course, the Lakers will reuse such a hard-working blue-collar worker, and the team really makes a lot of money to find him.