Los Angeles Lakers rookie Moritz Wagner hasn't seen much action for the team this season, but a series of injuries to some of the players has forced head coach Luke Walton to play him extended minutes against the Boston Celtics.
And he didn't disappoint.
Wagner tallied a career-high 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting to go along with six rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes of action. Although the Lakers lost 120-107 against the Celtics, the 25th overall pick in last year's draft has reminded everyone of what he can do when given the opportunity.
Lakers superstar LeBron James even had a chance to share a highlight play with Wagner.
LeBron with the full-court dish! 😮#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/gkqDde1UIK
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 10, 2019
Play looks familiar? Well that's because LeBron James used to catch outlet passes like this from his former teammate with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin Love.
LeBron has notched another triple-double, tallying 30 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds against Boston.
The Lakers have made things interesting up until the first few minutes of the second half, but the absences of Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma were just too much for them. The Purple and Gold weren't able to keep up with the Celtics, who eventually blew the game wide open midway into the third period.
Still, the Lakers had a chance to see what they can get from Wagner when they put him out there for long spurts. Mo was battling injuries early into the season, and the addition of Tyson Chandler back in November buried him in the rotation.
It was a statement game for the rookie, and with the team all but officially out of the playoffs, maybe they can give some of the young guys a bit of exposure in order for them to evaluate who they can retain long-term.
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