{"id":60103,"date":"2023-12-21T15:24:15","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T20:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=60103"},"modified":"2023-12-21T15:28:26","modified_gmt":"2023-12-21T20:28:26","slug":"los-angeles-lakers-the-importance-of-jaxson-hayes-and-christian-wood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2023\/12\/21\/los-angeles-lakers-the-importance-of-jaxson-hayes-and-christian-wood\/","title":{"rendered":"Los Angeles Lakers: The Importance of Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Lakers are on a three-game losing skid after falling to the Chicago Bulls Wednesday, 124-108. One of the sticking points in LA\u2019s recent play has been the inconsistency when it comes to their center rotation. Once praised for its versatility, the trio<\/a> of <\/span>Anthony Davis<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Christian Wood<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Jaxson Hayes<\/b><\/a> has been largely unbalanced. Davis\u2019s production has been stellar, but the other two have seen few opportunities as of late.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s uncharacteristic for a team that relies on depth, and Darvin Ham must realize that Wood and Hayes can impact the game and help LA end the losing streak.<\/span><\/p>\n

Los Angeles Lakers: The Importance of Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood<\/b><\/h2>\n

Background<\/b><\/h3>\n

Across 25 games, both Wood and Hayes have had limited production. Wood has put up 7.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game on .463\/.279\/.618 splits in 19 minutes per game. Hayes, meanwhile, has averaged 3.1 points and 2 rebounds on 66% shooting from the field in 11 minutes a night.<\/span><\/p>\n

December has been polarizing for both of them. Wood showed out against the Spurs on Dec. 15, recording 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes. Aside from that\u2014and a nine-point, six rebound outing the game before against the Spurs\u2014his impact has been minimal. It can likely be explained by recovery from a non-COVID illness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hayes has always drawn the short end of the stick this season, and this month is no different. He’s played 15+ minutes three times, and his best game was on Friday, when he recorded eight points and seven rebounds against San Antonio. On the whole, the 23-year-old has only played 18 or more minutes five times this season, and he’s finished with double-digit scoring three times. Hayes received respectable minutes with the Pelicans and produced accordingly. Now, he\u2019s logging career-lows in minutes and points per game, stunting his development as a promising center.<\/span><\/p>\n

Against Chicago\u2014a team with <\/span>Nikola Vucevic<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Andre Drummond<\/b><\/a>\u2014Wood and Hayes logged 1:18 apiece. Wood blocked a shot, while Hayes scored two points and grabbed one rebound. Ham elected to go with LeBron and <\/span>Rui Hachimura<\/b><\/a> as the backup fives. If that doesn\u2019t exemplify the need for LA\u2019s bigs, who knows what will?<\/span><\/p>\n

Lakers Bigs Key in Upcoming Games<\/b><\/h3>\n

The Lakers will be facing several teams with standout big men. It starts tonight against <\/span>Karl-Anthony Towns<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Rudy Gobert<\/b><\/a> with the Timberwolves, followed by <\/span>Chet Holmgren<\/b><\/a> with the Thunder (Dec. 23) and <\/span>Kristaps Porzingis<\/b><\/a> with the Celtics (Christmas Day).<\/span><\/p>\n

The team’s backups knew what to expect when they were brought on board, making sacrifices in an effort to win. Wood was candid about his reduced role after a loss to the Mavericks in November, <\/span>telling the LA Times\u2019 Dan Woike<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying this role player role, where I\u2019m trying \u2026 if the team needs help with rebounds, I have to try and help rebound. And whatever they need to do, I\u2019m there to do. Some nights, they\u2019re going to run plays for me, some nights they\u2019re not. I just got to be prepared for that.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What Wood and Hayes may not have expected was for the Lakers to run more small-ball lineups in times where they needed to go big. Experiments with LeBron or Rui at center may have worked last season, when the team was struggling with big man depth. Now, however, the Lakers sport the luxury of having two healthy centers supplementing a top-tier man in the middle\u2014and yet Ham refuses to play them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Even with no AD, Darvin going with a smaller lineup with Rui\/Vando\/Taurean in the front court.<\/p>\n

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) December 21, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n