Although the Los Angeles Lakers have gotten stellar play from both LeBron James and Anthony Davis, it’s been their role players that have truly stepped up in the biggest moments.
The Lakers have managed to win several games this postseason on the backs of clutch performances from different guys. For example, against the Golden State Warriors, Lonnie Walker IV dropped 15 points in the fourth quarter of Game 4 to give Los Angeles a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Walker’s Game 4 performance basically came out of the blue because he had been excised from the rotation following the trade deadline. However, instead of sulking about the situation, Walker worked hard to stay ready and delivered when his name was called.
Most role players would tune out after losing minutes, but instead Walker praised the trade deadline acquisitions, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“Man, it sounds amazing. But then after the trades and the players we’ve gotten, it just took us to a whole ‘nother level. The chemistry, the love that we all got within one another, it’s great. It’s great to know we started 2-10 and everyone was talking all of that talk but we still made it. And we got a lot more to go, we got a lot more to give and this is just the first step to what we trying to accomplish.”
It hasn’t been an easy couple of months for the athletic guard, but now he’s finally getting a chance to prove himself and he expressed how grateful he was for the opportunity:
“It’s amazing. To sit out for about two months, being discouraged here and there, having self-doubt, going home not in the best of moods. But to stick with it, lock in and to be rewarded and play in one of the biggest moments of my life, man, I’m just happy to be given the opportunity. And I can’t thank no one but God. Every single night I’m talking to Him, talking to my family, talking to my grandma, we praying every night. And look what He done for me.”
The collective talent and depth on the roster is night and day compared to the Opening Night version, so it’s encouraging to see Walker playing with so much confidence despite the tough circumstances. Hopefully his microwave scoring continues into the Western Conference Finals as he’ll be needed to lighten the scoring burden off the two stars.
Stephen Curry has joke for Lonnie Walker IV after signing jersey
Stephen Curry was on the wrong end of a few of Walker’s clutch jump shots, so he made sure to joke around with him after giving him a signed jersey following Game 6.
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