LeBron James discusses Max Christie’s growth this season

With Anthony Davis out, LeBron James knew he would have to step up in the Los Angeles Lakers’ contest against the Portland Trail Blazers. James finished with 38 points and eight assists, but what was less expected was Max Christie’s contribution.

The third-year guard finished with a career-high 28 points to go along with three rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in the Lakers’ eight-point victory. It was arguably the highlight for Christie after a slow start to the season, and LeBron believes it’s a product of the work he’s been putting in.

“Just the work. He puts in the work and it pays off for him,” James said after the game. “The coaches believe in him and we believe in him. He was spectacular tonight on both ends of the floor.”

Christie has assumed the role of the Lakers’ primary perimeter defender, but his insertion into the starting lineup has also seen his offensive game flourish as well. Christie’s early season struggles have been widely discussed, and LeBron believes that being allowed to make those mistakes early on has helped him grow.

“It helps when the coaches believe in you and allow you to make mistakes when you’re a young kid,” James noted. You go out there and you live with your mistakes, but you also get better from it. Obviously we had a couple in the past, I think it was OKC, I think, when he made a mistake in that one game and he learned from it. Coaches didn’t give up on him and said ‘OK, you made a mistake, sit down’.

“Early on he was in the rotation and then came out of the rotation, then we inserted him back into the starting lineup and he just took off from there and took full advantage. So he’s ready for this opportunity and we’re happy for him.”

It would have been easy for Christie to lose his confidence, but as LeBron said, his coaches and teammates on the Lakers all believed in him and continued to push him. Christie has always had the physical tools since he was drafted, and now James is watching him put the mental side of the game together while also growing into this bigger role on the team.

“Of course. I think his ability to put in the work,” LeBron said when asked what he saw from Christie early in his career. “When we practiced, he always looked a little bit, but it just takes time. Sometimes it’s not always instant oatmeal, it takes time for younger guys to get a feel, understand the game and the nuances of the game. The game between the game, not just actually just running and jumping.

“There are so many more intricate parts to the game. I think JJ and the coaching staff have given him a lot on his plate and I think he’s ready for it and just taking full advantage of it. 28 points tonight was a career-high for him, but defensively he’s been great, the activity has been great and we need that from him all year.”

It’s been a process for Christie, but the time and effort put into his development is paying off now as he’s become a vital part of the Lakers’ success on both ends of the court.

Lakers’ Max Christie discusses career-high scoring night

Max Christie also discussed his career night for the Lakers against the Trail Blazers and talked about what he did that led to the 28 points.

“I think I made shots,” Christie said after the win. “I made five threes tonight. I thought I did a good job cutting to the basket. They were very physical. Very swarming team when they put guys on the ball. So I was able to cut behind the defense, get a couple of dunks, and then be on the back end and be able to knock down a couple of threes.”

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