Getty Coby White of the Chicago Bulls is fouled by Zach Norvell Jr. of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Sitting out the Lakers’ last game that resulted in a close loss to the Clippers, Zach Norvell Jr. makes his return to the lineup against the Warriors. Held out of the Clippers game and listed as day to day, Norvell Jr.’s actual injury wasn’t revealed and given that he is set to return to the lineup tonight, it doesn’t seem to be all too serious.
Norvell Jr. has been the primary scoring force for the Lakers in Summer League games so far and had a fantastic three-game run in the California Classic, leading the Lakers to a 2-1 record including a win over these very same Warriors.
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Lakers’ Zach Norvell Jr. Set for Summer League Return vs. Warriors
In his return, Norvell is looking to keep his hot hand going against the Warriors and help the Lakers pick up their first Las Vegas Summer League win. In their last matchup, Norvell dropped 20 points and five assists on the Warriors as the Lakers picked up the win 100-90. Norvell was an extremely efficient 7/10 from the field and 3/5 from deep on the evening while only committing one turnover. To date, Norvell’s performance against the Warriors in the California Classic remains his strongest overall game.
The re-addition of Norvell to the lineup gives the Lakers a much-needed scoring punch off the wing and a willing facilitator of the basketball. Even on nights where his shot hasn’t been falling, Norvell has found ways to have a positive impact. While it might be unrealistic to expect a repeat of his last (incredibly efficient) performance against the Warriors, expect Norvell to step back into his role as the primary scoring option for the Lakers’ Summer League squad.
Lakers Recap of Las Vegas Summer League So Far
In two contests for the Lakers so far, things haven’t gone all too well. After an embarrassing 20 point defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bulls, the Lakers fell just short in a heroic comeback effort against the Clippers.
While the Lakers defend well for stretches of the game, they’ve struggled to consistently stop the more talented teams they are facing in the Vegas Summer League. With no 2019 draft picks on the active Summer League roster, the Lakers first unit is often simply overmatched and falls into an early hole. Veteran point guard Joe Young has mostly struggled so far despite his strong scoring pedigree and aside from Norvell, the starting unit has mostly struggled with consistency.
One bright spot of the Lakers – and has been since the California Classic – is the play of the second unit. Led by Devontae Cacok, the second unit regularly posts strong numbers and often finds multiple members closing out crucial minutes of close games. Marcus Allen has emerged as an elite Summer League defender off the bench and his ability to step in and harass the primary ball-handler has been a crucial component in helping keep the Lakers at least within striking range.
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