Julius Randle Injury: Which Lakers Player Must Step Up?
With the injury to Julius Randle, which Los Angeles Lakers player must step up?
The Los Angeles Lakers’ season opener at Staples Center was nothing short of a nightmare.
Lack of cohesion on offense, mindless efforts on defense, and an overall roster that seemed rather unfocused left much to be desired for anyone who tuned in to watch the blowout against the Houston Rockets. That all takes a back seat to the heart wrenching injury to a promising young player in Julius Randle, who broke his leg in his first ever NBA game.
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After the injury occurred, Randle pulled himself off the court and under the basket, grimacing in pain before medical staff could attend to him. Teammates huddled around him to offer support as his leg was immobilized before he was lifted on to a stretcher, and brought to a hospital for further evaluation. We now know that the result was a broken tibia, and it’s unclear what Randle’s timetable for a return is.
Everyone is wishing Julius Randle to regain his health quickly, and resume what promises to be a good NBA career. He was going to be a big part of the Los Angeles Lakers plans, starting with his contributions this season. His absence will leave a definite void in the locker room, and on the court.
Despite the unfortunate injury, the Lakers still must pick up and play the Suns in Phoenix as the second part of a back-to-back set. After that, they face the possibility of eighty more games without their prized rookie assuming they choose not to rush him back.
The most logical player to absorb Julius Randle’s minutes would be Ed Davis. Davis looked quite good in 21 minutes of game action, posting a stat-line of 11 points (5-7 FG), 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. He drew a tough match-up in Dwight Howard, and eventually fouled out, but if the defense progresses as a whole for the Lakers (it can’t get much worse), Davis will be a big part of what they try to accomplish on that end of the court.
Presumably, Davis becomes the primary backup at both the power forward and center slots. He can play both positions effectively, and it gives Byron Scott the excuse to trot out his only true shot blocker for heavy minutes each game. After seeing the ultimate work-in-progress that is the Los Angeles Lakers’ efforts last night, Ed Davis needs to step up to be a leader on defense, carving out an identity that could truly impact the entire club.
While not dominant as an offensive force, Davis is nothing if not efficient, which should help ease the burden of a guard dominated attack that we should be seeing from Jeremy Lin and Kobe Bryant. The ability to collect points while demanding limited touches is a perfect fit for this roster (or most rosters for that matter), and he should be able to fulfill what is asked of him on that end.
Another option is Ryan Kelly seeing more run after his return from injury. The Lakers desperately need his floor-spacing shooting, and he could prove to be a crucial part of the offensive structure that looked absolutely purposeless last night.
Between Ed Davis, and to a lesser extent Ryan Kelly, the Los Angeles Lakers have two possible replacements for the injured Julius Randle. They will require both of them to step up, and that starts tonight.