Los Angeles Lakers rookie Brandon Ingram had a rough game on Friday night against the Boston Celtics. Dealing with foul trouble all night, Ingram went scoreless and took only two shots in the entire game, both of which came late in the fourth quarter.
Bad scoring nights are bound to happen sometimes, but Kobe Bryant would likely be unhappy with the lack of shot attempts. Kobe of course once equated a lack of shots to a lack of confidence, something that was repeated earlier this season by the Miami Heat’s Dion Waiters.
Head coach Luke Walton wouldn’t go that far however. Walton spoke on Ingram’s lack of shots and while he admitted he plans on getting Ingram more shots, also praised Ingram for not forcing, via Joey Ramirez of Lakers.com:
“Obviously we want him taking more shots that than right now,” Walton said at Saturday’s practice. “If I see a game happening like that again, I might manipulate it a little bit to get him some more shots. But I thought he did a really good job of not forcing it.”
Ingram has struggled with consistency this season, but that was expected of the Duke product when he was drafted. He was always viewed as a project and Ingram’s best years are ahead of him. Even still, performances like this one are worrying.
Walton pledging to call some more plays in order to get him more shots is certainly a good idea. One of the reasons Walton played Ingram at point guard so much early this year was to ensure he remained a part of the offense and didn’t just sit in the corner. Calling some plays could be the way to get Ingram more aggressive.
These last 20 games will be big for the development of the young Lakers. Since the All-Star Break D’Angelo Russell has taken a step forward. The Lakers will be hoping Ingram does the same.
