Lakers Stanley Johnson Makes Impact in Debut

Stanley Johnson's play on the court was somewhat of a surprise for many fans.

Among one of a few rare positives in another disappointing loss on Christmas was the play of one of their new ten-day contract players.

Stanley Johnson, the former 2015 lottery pick by the Detroit Pistons, played heavy minutes for his hometown team. With the Nets opting to run small lineups for most of the game, acting head coach David Fizdale pulled Dwight Howard six minutes into the game and went wing heavy for the rest of the game. That opened up minutes for Johnson to play 27 minutes in his debut for the purple and gold.

The box score does not show much with only 7 points on four shots, but his impact was evident to anyone watching the game. He was tasked with defending James Harden for much of the night. He provided a defensive spark for the Lakers, who have been desperately looking for wing personnel that could stay in front of opposing guards all season. Johnson was one of the reasons the Lakers managed to get back in the game after going down 23 in the fourth quarter. Although he did not provide any offense, he was an integral part of a 16-0 run that helped the Lakers rally late.

After the game, Johnson talked about his defensive presence, and the confidence he had in himself on that end of the floor.

“I think it’s pretty easy. I kind of asked some questions and knew what was expected of me. I like to say I can play defense at a high level. I have to be smart with the fouls. I’m very confident in that part of the game. It’s just doing my job, another day at the office.”

Johnson is a Fullerton native and talked about his love for the Lakers as he grew up in Southern California. Earlier this month, he signed a 10-day contract with the Chicago Bulls, but was unable to suit up for them because of health and safety protocols. Things seemed to work out for him, as he got scooped up by his hometown team and played meaningful minutes on the court in front of friends and family on Christmas.

“I’ve been coming to Staples Center my whole life, and it’s kinda a little easier to play at home. I’m very comfortable, I just let it happen. I was in quarantine 36 hours ago, and I took a five-hour flight to get here, and I barely had time to do anything. They throw me in the game and played a lot of minutes. I’m just blessed and grateful to be here right now, and just trying to be as useful as I can.”

There may be a role on the Lakers for Johnson if he keeps up his defensive intensity. His shot making remains a work in progress, but the Lakers could definitely use a defensive specialist on the team.