After a disastrous 2014-15 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers were reportedly trying to trade Nick Young in the off-season. However, through the preseason and 10 games of the new season, Young has regained his form off the bench and is averaging 10.2 points while shooting 46 percent from three.
Since becoming the head coach of the Lakers, Byron Scott has been extremely critical of Young’s effort. However, after the Lakers earned their second win of the young season against the Detroit Pistons, Scott praised the team’s sixth man.
Following the win and earning high praise from Scott, Young wore an NSYNC shirt and made a reference to Justin Timberlake:
“We just pretty much became like a boy band, like NSync, we were really in sync in the game. I was more like Justin Timberlake out there on the defense.”
After struggling during the five-game road trip, the Lakers had their most complete performance of the young season. With solid ball movement throughout the game, the defense picked up as the Lakers held the Pistons to just 85 points on 36.5 percent shooting.
With the Lakers traveling to Phoenix for the second game of a back-to-back series, they will be without Kobe Bryant who played a season-high, 36 minutes. As a result, Metta World Peace is expected to start at small forward, but Young should see plenty of minutes if he continues his strong shooting from beyond the arc and maintains his effort.