In his first extensive action in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform, Tarik Black made a huge impression. Black scored 14 points on 4-4 from the field, and grabbed nine rebounds and was a key component to the Lakers pulling away from the Orlando Magic in the fourth quarter of their 101-84 victory.
— Have You Seen These LIMITED EDITION “Bleed Purple and Gold” T-Shirts? —
The Lakers’ frontcourt rotation is pretty crowded, but according to the OC Register’s Bill Oram, Black has earned himself some more minutes:
Byron Scott said Tarik Black earned rotation minutes tomorrow vs. Portland. His near dub-dub last night "impacted what I might do tomorrow."
— Bill Oram (@billoram) January 10, 2015
With Jordan Hill, Ed Davis and Carlos Boozer all averaging over 24 minutes a night, it is likely that Robert Sacre will be the big man sacrificing minutes in order to get Black on the floor more. With Ryan Kelly also being thought of as a power forward, Byron Scott will have his work cut out in trying to manage the minutes of everyone.
Black showed everyone exactly what his game entails which is athleticism and intensity around the basket. Between Black, Hill and Davis, the Lakers have three players who excel on the offensive glass, a great trait for a team to have.
After the win over the Magic, Black was still amazed that he was a member of the Lakers. If all goes well and he keeps performing, he could be a big part of the Lakers’ future, as well as its present.
[divide]Lakers Rookie Tarik Black After Breakout Performance