The losing streak has finally come to an end. The Los Angeles Lakers were able to snap their eight-game skid with a much-needed win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night with Larry Nance Jr. helping guide them to victory on the road.
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Although he finished with only four points, the second-year forward’s impact was felt all over the floor. Head coach Luke Walton praised the Wyoming product for his performance following the win over the 76ers, via the Lakers Twitter account:
Luke Walton on @Larrydn22: “He was probably our most impactful player out there tonight.”
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 17, 2016
The first win in nine games for the Lakers was anything but pretty. After taking a 13-point lead into the halftime, Los Angeles seemed to be in complete control. The Lakers got some solid efforts from D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle in the first half but struggled to maintain the lead in the final two quarters in Philadelphia.
Nance, however, was solid throughout the game doing all the little things which he does so well these days. The 23-year-old finished the game with 11 rebounds, two blocks, an assist and a steal in 34 minutes off the bench.
Nance may not light the scoreboard on a nightly basis, but his impact is felt every single game with his ability to do a lot of different things on the floor. His versatility has been extremely valuable to this team and will continue to be part of the backbone of this squad, and his activity on the defensive end has been invaluable.
With the long losing streak now over, the Lakers will try to take some momentum in Saturday’s game against the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers.