Download our Free Mobile App!
Faster with Fewer Ads

Get App
Lakers Nation
  • Rumors
  • Schedule
    • Lakers 2025 Preseason Schedule
  • Videos
    • YouTube
    • Podcast
  • FAQ
  • About
    • About Lakers Nation
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
  • Download Our App

Download our Free Mobile App!
Faster with Fewer Ads

Get App
Lakers Nation
  • Rumors
  • Schedule
    • Lakers 2025 Preseason Schedule
  • Videos
    • YouTube
    • Podcast
  • FAQ
  • About
    • About Lakers Nation
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
  • Download Our App
Search
  • Rumors
  • Schedule
    • 2024 preseason
    • 2024-2025 regular season
  • Videos
    • YouTube
    • Podcast
  • FAQ
  • About
    • About Lakers Nation
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
  • Download Our App
Follow US
© 2024 Medium Large Sports Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Lakers Nation > Blog > Lakers News > Lakers News: Luke Walton Calls Bulls Rookie Lauri Markkanen ‘A Handful’
Lakers News

Lakers News: Luke Walton Calls Bulls Rookie Lauri Markkanen ‘A Handful’

Harrison Faigen
Published: 11/21/2017
2 Min Read
Lauri-markkanen
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
SHARE

When the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Chicago Bulls Tuesday night, Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma won’t be the only standout rookies on the floor. They’ll be joined by first-year forward Lauri Markkanen, who will suit up for Chicago.

“He’s going to be a handful for us tonight,” Lakers head coach Luke Walton said after the team’s morning shootaround.

“He’s been really good. He’s obviously an intelligent player, because he went to U of A, so he makes good decisions. It’s impressive for a rookie to be able to put up numbers he’s putting up right now,” Walton said.

With averages of 15.6 points and eight rebounds, Markannen is the only rookie in the NBA right now to lead their team both such categories, but it’s more than just his raw numbers that have impressed Walton.

“To shoot the NBA three normally takes a little more time to get used to. He’s shooting that thing pretty well and consistent right now,” Walton said.

The Lakers have had the fourth-best defensive efficiency in the NBA so far, allowing just 100.6 points per 100 possessions while holding opponents to the ninth-lowest percentage of 3-point attempts (32.5 percent) in the league.

And when opponents have launched threes, the Lakers have defended them well, as opposing offenses have only made 32.1 percent of their threes against the Lakers, good for the third-lowest mark in the NBA.

Making matters easier for Los Angeles will be that outside of Markannen, the Bulls don’t have a ton of threats offensively, which is why they are tied with the Sacramento Kings for the league’s worst offense while scoring 95.1 points per 100 possessions.

Suffice to say, if the Lakers can keep Markannen off the 3-point line and force the ball to the rest of the Bulls, he’ll be a lot less of a “handful.”

WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION? CHECK OUT THE NEW LAKERSNATION FORUM CLUB

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
TAGGED:Chicago BullsLos Angeles LakersLuke Walton
ByHarrison Faigen
Follow:
Harrison Faigen is co-host of the Locked on Lakers podcast (subscribe here), and you can follow him on Twitter at @hmfaigen, or support his work via Venmo here or Patreon here.
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
Get breaking Lakers News direct to your inbox.

Categories

  • News
  • Rumors
  • Games
  • History

Information

  • Advertise
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Get breaking Lakers News direct to your inbox.

© 2025 Medium Large Sports Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?