Over two months into the season, the Los Angeles Lakers are primed for a playoff appearance once again. They are 19-14 and own the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. Much of their success has to do with the performances of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, there have also been other players on the team who have stepped up at different points in the season. This was especially true during the team’s 114-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. Despite being without Davis, the Lakers took home the victory. In addition to James’ 38 points, the Lakers got a career performance out of third-year guard Max Christie, who earned praise from the four-time champion after the game.
“He’s putting in the work and it’s paying off for him and [we] got coaches who believe in him,” James said of Christie. “We believe in him, and he was spectacular tonight on both ends of the floor.”
Christie scored a career-high 28 points on 9-for-16 shooting in the win against the Trail Blazers. Prior to this game, the Illinois native had never scored more than 20 points in a game. Additionally, Christie recorded three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers ‘Believe In’ Max Christie
Max Christie Is Enjoying a Breakout Campaign
Now in his third season in Los Angeles, Christie has enjoyed a larger role with the team. He is currently averaging 7.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. These are all career highs. Additionally, he is shooting 44.6% from the field and 37.1% from beyond the arc.
Over the offseason, the Lakers signed Christie to a four-year, $32 million contract extension. At the time, many questioned the move and whether he deserved that type of contract. Early on, Christie is playing up to his new deal. Furthermore, head coach JJ Redick spoke about Christie’s growth, hinting that the 21-year-old could be in line for more opportunities.
“You have to learn how to be a pro. And by that I mean you have to learn how to do the same things every night to the point where you’re reliable and the coach can’t take you off the court,” Redick said. “And that’s where the growth I’ve seen from Max over the last six to eight weeks [has been].”
The Last Word
Christie has started each of his last 10 games for the Lakers. During that stretch, he has averaged 12.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 steals. He is also shooting 47.4% from the field and 44.4% from the three-point line. Christie is playing some solid basketball and should continue to see regular minutes in the Lakers’ rotation. Another interesting part of Chrstie’s breakout to monitor is if he plays in the playoffs, assuming the Lakers advance to that stage.
In the 2023 playoffs, Christie appeared in just nine games, averaging 3.7 minutes. Furthermore, he did not play in the Lakers’ 2024 series against the Denver Nuggets. However, given the trajectory of his season, Christie should find himself on the court more often if the Lakers make another playoff appearance.
