EL SEGUNDO — There was a pivotal moment during Max Christie’s third season as a Laker.
And his response helped him become the latest player to get a shot as being the team’s fifth starter – a role he stepped up in during the Lakers’ home win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
After being a consistent part of the team’s bench as a reserve for the first couple of weeks, Christie was taken out of the lineup after inconsistent performances.
Christie, the Lakers’ 2022 second-round draft pick, averaged 4.1 points on 31% shooting from the field (26.7% from 3-point range) and 2.1 rebounds in the first eight games (16 minutes per game) before being taken out of the rotation for a few games.
“Those three games I was out, I’ve said it before, kind of just recommitting myself, looking inward, see what I can do better and how I can help this team,” Christie said after the team’s practice on Tuesday. “I’ve discovered a few things that I can do and I just kind of honed in on it.”
Christie has thrived since being reinserted back into the rotation in the Nov. 15 road win over the San Antonio Spurs, a game he finished with 11 points, three rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot in 30 minutes off the bench.
The third-year wing has averaged 7.7 points (45.1% shooting – 33.3% on 3s) and 2.6 rebounds over his last 15 games (25.1 minutes per game).
He picked up his play in the four games before starting alongside Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James and Anthony Davis for the first time in the win against the Grizzlies, averaging 9.8 points and 4.5 rebounds (two offensive rebounds)
“The bigger factor was probably just the overall body of work since he returned to the rotation after missing three games earlier in the year,” first-year Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He hasn’t been perfect game to game, but I think there has been a level of consistency and trust built not only with me, but with his teammates.”
Christie’s stat line of seven points on 1-of-3 shooting to go with two rebounds against the Grizzlies doesn’t fully capture his impact from the game.
He was the Lakers’ primary defender on Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who finished with 20 points on 6-of-21 shooting to go with seven rebounds, six assists and seven turnovers.
The league’s tracking data credited Christie with holding Morant to seven points on 2-of-11 shooting, and two assists and four turnovers during the possessions when he defended the All-Star point guard.
“It’s a lot of confidence,” Christie said. “I’ve been thrown in the fire guarding a lot of really good players. Trae Young, Ja Morant, to name a few. So it’s definitely a big confidence booster for me.
“My teammates did a really good job of being in the gaps. For me, it’s hard to contain someone as athletic and fast as [Morant] by myself. So there were moments where I did a good job but there were other times he kind of got by me and my teammates were in their shifts and they helped me out too. But confidence-wise, I’m at an all-time high with my defense. My athleticism, my length and just kind of my willingness to give as much effort as I can on that end has translated well.”
INJURY UPDATES
Injured forward Christian Wood won’t travel with the Lakers for their road games against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday and Saturday, but he will take a significant step in his return-to-play process in Southern California while the team is away.
Redick said Wood will do live drills against the team’s coaching associates during the road trip.
“He’s doing more on the court with obviously just individual work,” Redick said. “His Alter-G (anti-gravity treadmill) stuff, getting to 95%, 100% on the Alter-G. He’s had progress and it’s looking like it’ll be soon. Barring a setback, he’ll be back.”
Wood hasn’t played this season after having left knee surgery during the offseason. He missed the final two months of last season after a previous procedure on the knee.
Redick said the team anticipates having an update on backup center Jaxson Hayes early next week. Hayes has missed the last nine games and 15 of the last 16 because of right ankle ailments.
REPORT: BRONNY JAMES TO PLAY IN G LEAGUE SHOWCASE
Lakers rookie Bronny James, coming off of a few promising performances for the South Bay Lakers, will participate in the G League Winter Showcase this week, according to an ESPN report.
The showcase, which runs from Dec. 19-22 in Orlando, Florida, is considered one of the most important events on the G League calendar, with representatives from all 30 NBA teams in attendance to scout the talent.
James, 20, who was selected by the Lakers with the No. 55 pick in the second round of June’s draft, has averaged 20.7 points on 43.1% shooting (26.3% from 3-point range) with 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists over his past three games for South Bay.
South Bay’s first game in Orlando is Thursday against the Greensboro (N.C.) Swarm.