After a three-day break, the Los Angeles Lakers return home on Friday to take on the Philadelphia 76ers, who are without Joel Embiid. The Lakers and 76ers both need to start winning games in a row, so this Friday night’s game is more significant than an NBA game in March.
The Lakers have added to the long list of injuries that both teams are dealing with this season ahead of their meeting on Friday. On Friday night, Taurean Prince, a forward, was officially ruled out due to personal reasons. It’s important to note that Prince turns 30 today.
Despite Prince’s lackluster play this season for the Lakers, head coach Darvin Ham has continued to give him plenty of playing time. From their time together in Atlanta, Ham and Prince had a prior relationship that affected their current one in Los Angeles. Ultimately, Ham has demonstrated a history of favoritism.
A team usually takes a hit when a rotation player who plays more than 25 minutes a night leaves, especially when you consider all the other injuries the Lakers are facing. In this case, though, Prince’s absence will compel Ham to carry out a task that he ought to have been doing the entire season.
With Taurean Prince out for the Lakers, Darvin Ham will have to take on the role of Max Christie.
Max Christie
Entering the 2023–24 season, Max Christie was being discussed as Los Angeles’ next young breakout star. Christie had an impressive summer league and a strong preseason, which seemed to point to him being included in this year’s rotation.
In the end, Cam Reddish kept Christie out of the rotation, and even during the season, Christie has essentially only been given opportunities when other players are injured. Since mid-January, Christie has only played 20 minutes six times and has only had 11 games with more than 12 minutes.
Against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday was one of those occasions, but that only occurred because the Lakers were in complete control and the game was a blowout. Now that the Lakers are lacking a player once more, Ham will have to provide Christie with significant playing time. It’s going to be sink or swim for Christie.
Plays and moments such as these are critical to the forthcoming off-season. In order to determine whether Christie is worth bringing back in free agency, the Lakers front office needs to keep a closer eye on him in games like this given the small sample size this season.
It’s time to see what the team has because Christie is probably not going to play a significant role in the NBA Playoffs, assuming the Lakers make it that far. To be honest, the team probably has someone on it who is superior to the experienced option.
