Arguably the biggest story coming out of the Los Angeles Lakers 101-84 victory over the Orlando Magic was the play of recently acquired big man Tarik Black, who nearly totaled a double-double in only 17 minutes on the floor.
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After the game, Black was extremely thankful just for the opportunity to wear a Lakers jersey via the Los Angeles Lakers Twitter account:
.@TarikBlack25: "Purple & gold. It's amazing that I'm even wearing a Lakers jersey."
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 10, 2015
Black’s 14 points were a career-high as he added nine rebounds and a block in his first extended minutes in a Lakers uniform. He showed great athleticism and a nose for the ball.
With this impressive display, Black has likely carved himself out some minutes, but the Lakers have a number of bigs who need some time on the court. Ed Davis, Jordan Hill and Carlos Boozer have been mainstays of the rotation while Ryan Kelly just returned and had his best game of the year against the Magic as well.
Figuring out the rotation will be a tough task for head coach Byron Scott, but it is a good dilemma to have as the Lakers are simply looking for players who can contribute now, as well as in the future. Black seems to fit that profile.
With his skills on the court, as well as his personality and humbleness off it, Black looks like he could be a big part of the Lakers organization for a long time.
[divide]VIDEO: Nick Young Really Really Really Like Tarik Black’s Name And Gives Him A Massive Shoutout