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It’s time for the Los Angeles Lakers to start Christian Wood.
The Lakers need help with rebounds after the team’s weakness on the glass was exposed Saturday during a 120-101 blowout loss to the Orlando Magic.
Head coach Darvin Ham said the team misses the defensive abilities of Jarred Vanderbilt, who might have become the Los Angeles Lakers’ fifth starter before he was sidelined in the preseason by a heel injury.
Without Vanderbilt, it’s time to turn to another player who has made this team’s defense better. Enter Wood, whose defensive play alongside Anthony Davis has been a highlight to the Lakers’ 3-3 start to the season.
Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
Dominant defensive effort in the fourth — CWood was everywhere 🎬
Laker Film Room: Christian Wood’s Defense pic.twitter.com/3QK05zpYGu
The Lakers gave up 19 offensive rebounds and were overall out-rebounded 51-40 by the Magic Saturday, marking the third time in six games the team has been beaten by an opponent at the glass.
Head coach Darvin Ham called the loss “a huge, huge step backwards for us in terms of our defensive rebounding.”
“You can’t scheme rebounding,” Ham said Saturday. “You gotta want to get the damn ball — plain and simple.”
Anthony Davis echoed Ham’s message after the loss, per Heavy’s Josh Buckhalter.
“It’s just the offensive rebounds,” Davis said. “Offensive rebounds killed it the entire game.”
Spectrum SportsNet @SpectrumSN
“We just got to wipe ourselves off and get ready for another tough one in Miami.” Darvin Ham discusses the Lakers lack of rebounding and energy in Orlando. pic.twitter.com/XdrLaCN5sM
Luckily, the Lakers have a player who, just two seasons ago, was ranked as of the top rebounders in the league.
Wood ranked 11th in the NBA with 10.1 rebounds per game for the Houston Rockets in 2021-22.
Those numbers declined with the Dallas Mavericks as Wood recorded 7.3 defensive rebounds per game last season, in part because of poor defensive metrics. Those may have contributed to defense-focused head coach Jason Kidd’s decision to reduce Wood’s playing time.
That’s changed in Los Angeles. Wood has taken his defense to a new level alongside a fellow big man in Davis.
The pair’s connection was most visible during the Lakers’ October 30 win over the Magic. Wood grabbed nine defensive rebounds and blocked three shots, while Davis hauled down 17 defensive rebounds of his own.
Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
Lakers Nation, how about some love for Christian Wood? pic.twitter.com/pc8lE9sALp
Wood’s offense has also improved. He is shooting .467 from behind the arc through the Lakers’ last four games. Perhaps even more importantly, he has shown he knows when to give up a shooting opportunity in order to get the ball to the Lakers’ star scorers instead.
Ham has certainly noticed Wood’s reliability. The Lakers’ head coach is relying on the big man more and more, even in important minutes.
After exceeding 26 minutes during the Lakers’ win against the Magic last Monday, Wood has seen more than 29 minutes on the court in each of the Lakers’ past two contests.
One of the Lakers’ issues so far this season has been slow starts leading to first-quarter deficits.
Wood’s play lifts up Davis and helps the Lakers’ defense. It’s time to get him on the court as early as possible by trying him out on a spot among the starting five.
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