Getting consistent production from the role players around LeBron James and Anthony Davis has been what the Los Angeles Lakers have been looking for all season long. D’Angelo Russell has been excellent this season, but the recent play of forward Rui Hachimura deserves some praise as well.

 

Hachimura has been outstanding since being inserted into the starting lineup and has stepped up even more in the month of March. Hachimura is averaging 17.1 on 60.8% shooting from the field and 46.7% from 3-point range this month.

Someone who has definitely noticed Hachimura stepping up in a big way is Davis, who had a lot of praise for the Lakers forward’s play as of late.

“He’s shooting the ball extremely well. He’s guarding,” Davis said. “We have obviously been going to him a lot in the post. Usually has smaller guys on him, so he’s been doing a good job of that. But what impresses me a lot, he’s been able to read the double teams. He doesn’t pass out of them, but he’ll go around and then score, so he’s just been very efficient for us.

“Especially with his catch-and-shooting, he’s been able to knock down big shots for us and shoot the ball extremely well. So I told him it comes with getting paid. You gotta elevate to the level that we think you or the team thought you were worth for getting the money and he’s been exceptional for us.”

Some players can get that big contract and then their performance tails off as they become complacent, but that hasn’t been the case for Hachimura. Many were unsure whether he could maintain the level of play he showed in the postseason and he has shown that he is more than capable.

The Lakers need the offensive boost he can provide and, as Davis pointed out, he is defending hard as well which is needed within this starting lineup. Hachimura provides a lot of things this team needs and is undoubtedly helping this team become a better version of themselves.