Los Angeles Lakers rookie Brandon Ingram has had some struggles this season, especially when it comes to shooting the ball. Every so often, however, he has shown some flashes of what he can become in this league and Friday’s game against the Miami Heat was one of those nights.
Ingram finished with 17 points, tying his career high, and added six rebounds and four assists in the Lakers’ 127-100 win over the Miami Heat. His recent performance has been noticeable to head coach Luke Walton.
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After the game, Walton spoke on Ingram getting more comfortable in the painted area:
“I think he’s slowly been getting more comfortable at navigating the paint. He’s had in each of the last couple games, some really nice finishes, coming off of one leg and using his length around the rim to get angles. Like anything else that’s just figuring it out as a young player, trying to see where he can look to take advantage of things.”
Coming into the league, the concern about Ingram was that his thin frame would make it difficult for him to be effective in the paint as it would be easy to push him around. While he does still struggle with contact, he has shown a willingness to fight through it and now seems to be learning how to get to the rum with regularity.
The next step for Ingram is to get his jump shot going. He is shooting only 36 percent from the field and 25 percent from three-point range. Ingram’s form is fine and he is getting to his spots on the floor so it seems like only a matter of time before they start falling, but it is still a concern for the time being.
Thankfully, Ingram has shown that he can make an impact on the floor regardless of whether his offense is clicking on that night which is what makes him such a promising prospect.