For the past few months, Rui Hachimura has been playing incredibly well for the Los Angeles Lakers. Hachimura has averaged 17.3 points on 59.4% shooting and 48.9% from 3-point range, but Darvin Ham, the head coach, has also demanded more of the forward.
The Lakers have struggled for a large portion of the season to clear the defensive glass, and with Hachimura’s stature, he should be able to aid greatly in that area. He has been doing just that lately, as the Lakers won their first two games of their six-game road trip, thanks to back-to-back double-digit rebounding performances.
Additionally, Hachimura’s teammates and Ham have been requesting this of him. Following Hachimura’s performance in the Lakers’ victory over the Memphis Grizzlies,
“I’ve been hounding him all year to get more rebounds, get more activity on the boards, play active defense, and keep his breath under control. He frequently feels the need to sprint ahead and assumes that someone else will get the defensive rebound. It prevents him from taking part. To his credit, he has clearly heard us. It’s not just me who is informing him this. The lesson is being conveyed by his teammates and other coaches, and he is taking it well.
When you see Hachimura up close in person, you realize that he is a lot bigger player than most people assume. At 6’8” and 230 pounds, he possesses the strength and stature to compete on the low glass with Ham and
LeBron James: Rui Hachimura appears “extremely at ease” in the starting lineup for the Lakers
Rui Hachimura was a reserve player for the Lakers at the beginning of the season, but he has transformed into a different player under Darvin Ham’s starting lineup. This has also been noticed by LeBron James.
LeBron commented that Hachimura appears “very comfortable” in the Lakers starting lineup because he understands his job and where his shots would come from after Hachimura’s 32-point, 10-rebound performance against the Grizzlies. LeBron continued by saying that Hachimura and he could vary things up defensively and still clear the glass.
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