10. Darius Morris’ improvement
It’s customary for an NBA player to improve greatly in his sophomore season, but Darius Morris seemingly went from bad to good over the summer. During the 2011-2012 campaign, I cringed every time Morris stepped on the court and knew it would result in a turnover if he dribbled too much–which he did often. However, his level of play throughout the 2012-2013 campaign made me change my tone completely. Morris’ decision making went from horrible to solid, he now has the ability to effectively attack the basket, and most importantly, he’s basically the Lakers’ best defender at the point guard position–which is a huge plus. The numbers (5.0 points, 2.1 assists) won’t show it, but Morris’ improvement has provided the Lakers with a solid combo-guard.
9. Metta World Peace’s elbow
Well, this can’t be too surprising, as Ron Artest was known for being a little crazy on the court. But, we thought the new Metta World Peace was all about love and peace, so when he followed Ludacris’ advice and threw his ‘bow at James Harden, it was a little shocking. The seven-game suspension at the end of the season was also something most Lakers fans wouldn’t have expected.
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