The Los Angeles Lakers got Nick Young in uniform for the first time this season on Tuesday night, and his 17 points helped guide the team to its second win. Behind the offense provided by Young off the bench and the 28 from Kobe Bryant, the Lakers walked off the court winners, 114-109.
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So far this season, Bryant has had a lot on his shoulders and the team relies on him heavily to score on a nightly basis. At 36 years old, Kobe does not have the explosiveness he once had and the excessive shot attempts is certainly taking a toll on his body. However, with Young back in the lineup, the Lakers have another scoring option and the guard talked about his return with the media after the game via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
RT @Mike_Bresnahan: Quote of the night from Nick Young (of course): “It’s like my swag just rubbed off on everybody. It was unbelievable.”
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) November 19, 2014
The Lakers have seemed deflated during their slow start, but the energy and effort that Young brought Tuesday night added life into the team. Not only is Young one of the best scorers in the league off the bench, but his outgoing personality is also something that can lighten the mood in the locker-room, something that is needed when a team struggles.
Los Angeles played very well on both ends of the court and getting a road victory against a tough Hawks team was quite impressive. Although Young cannot single-handedly lead the Lakers to the post season, having him in uniform will make things easier for Kobe and the coaching staff.
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