Lakers News: Unlikely Role Player Talks Major Late-Game Minutes Vs Toronto

The Lakers second-year guard came up big when it mattered most

Your Los Angeles Lakers survived a hard-fought battle on Tuesday night against the Toronto Raptors, escaping with a 132-131 win. The game was tight throughout, and when it mattered most, the Lakers duo, Anthony Davis and LeBron James came up clutch when it mattered. James made the right plays on the offensive side of the ball, and Davis did it all down the stretch. 

You needed Davis to make big shots, he did that, you needed him to hit clutch free throws, he did that, and you needed a big defensive stop, he did that, too. 

The stars came up big, but that's not a surprise; they're paid to do that. The others surprised and came up big in late moments in the game. One who was in the late minutes of the match was LA's second-year guard, Max Christie. Christie played 18 crucial minutes for the Lakers, including critical minutes late.

After the game, Christie spoke to the media and said it was great to be out there in the game's waning moments. Lauren Jones of The Sporting Tribune captured his presser.

“It felt good to be out there when it mattered the most,” Christie said. 

Max Christie: “It felt good to be out there when it mattered the most.” #Lakeshow @SportingTrib pic.twitter.com/Ag5e1zfb01

— Lauren Jones (@LoJoMedia) January 10, 2024

Christie knocked down one of two free throws with 1:37 left in the game to extend the Laker lead to four at the time. He let RJ Barrett drive down for a layup on the next possession, but he played solid throughout. 

In Wednesday's game, he scored six points on 2-for-2 shooting, four rebounds, and two assists while being a +5 in the plus-minus category. Christie is still only 20 years old. He will only grow from here, especially in a team full of veterans. 

It was great to see him in the late minutes of the game. He earned it, and we can't wait to see if his role grows as the season progresses.