The Los Angeles Lakers took care of business last night in the first episode of the “Battle of LA” for the 2013-14 season. After an off-season filled with claims that the Clippers were the city’s team, the Lakers players were determined to prove their doubters wrong on Opening Night.
Even without Kobe Bryant, the Lakers played hard on both ends of the court and the coaching staff was thrilled to see just how much the players wanted to win. The second unit performed at an elite level and outscored the Clippers’ bench, 76-34, led by the stellar play from Xavier Henry.
In his debut with the team, Henry put up a career high 22 points and grabbed six rebounds. As for the other reserves, Jordan Farmar did an amazing job running the offense and dished out six assists along with his 16 points. After the game, Henry talked to the media and spoke about what this second unit is capable of.
.@xhenry7: “I love our 2nd unit to tell you the truth. We have a lot of fun, athletic guys that can change the tempo.”
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 30, 2013
In the past, the Lakers have not had a stellar set of reserves, but that is not the case this season. Last year, the Lakers had one of the least productive second units in the league and that put a lot of pressure on the starting five. However, if the team can get consistent production from players like Henry and Farmar, it will be very dangerous moving forward.
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VIDEO: Xavier Henry Talks To The Media After Win Over Clippers