With a 16-45 win-loss card as of March 6 with 21 games remaining in the current NBA season, the least that the Los Angeles Lakers can do is to win three more games to avoid the possible ignominy of being included in the list of the 50 worst teams in the league.
While the Showtime franchise is now on the final phase of its forgettable season, there remains a glimmer of hope for the team for the coming season.
Apart from the fact that Kobe Bryant will be back in full gear next season, the Lakers also has the possibility of getting a couple of good players in the draft, as well as run after some big name free agents during the off-season.
However, outside of those three major prospects for the Lakers, rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson, who was taken 46th overall in last year’s NBA draft, is proving to be a glimmer of hope or a bright spot in the LA franchise.
Despite of the fact that the Lakers have been losing games, the team is still showing some teeth and fighting down to the last drop with every team that they face, due in part to the hustle and grit of Jordan Clarkson.
He is proving to be a revelation in the last few games of the Lakers, which was rather unexpected but nonetheless a welcome development for Coach Byron Scott and the legions of LA fans.
While Jeremy Lin has recently shown flashes of his Linsanity brilliance, he has consistently been inconsistent wearing the Lakers uniform and because of his salary, is widely considered as the most overpaid player in the team.
Career high
On Friday, in the Lakers game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Jordan Clarkson put on a show by scoring 25 points and six assist in the NBA’s top defensive team, reports the LA Times.
While the Lakers eventually lost the game to the Grizzlies, that did not stop fans from noticing the big potentials of Jordan Clarkson as the next major point guard of the team.
Clarkson was an offensive threat during most parts of the game. He was scoring at will on the Grizzlies’ Courtney Lee and Mike Conley. He already scored 23 points and five assists when he was called back to the bench in the middle of the third quarter.
It was only when defensive specialist Tony Allen started martching up against him that Clarkson’s burst started to wane.
Byron Scott said after the game that the Memphis Grizzlies put a lot of respect on Clarkson during the game that is why they put Tony Allen on him.
All pumped up
Apart from scoring, Clarkson also contributes through assists. In the fourth quarter, he fired a quick pass to Ed Davis who dunked the ball with authority. Clarkson yelled, pumped his fists and headed toward the Lakers bench as the Grizzlies sued for time.
He was all pumped up for the game. While the Lakers eventually lost the contest to the Grizzlies, 97-90, at least the team has a bright spot in terms of motivation and grit and it’s no other than Jordan Clarkson.