The Lakers keep rolling, and Collin Sexton is trying to find his own lane inside the surge.
Los Angeles sits at 10-2 with the league’s best record and the NBA’s top offense, with Luka Doncic driving the whole operation. The 27-year-old star is producing at an MVP level, and the rest of the roster has been feeding off that pace, Sexton included.
For Sexton, though, the start has come with some turbulence. He has flashed the kind of scoring burst that makes him valuable off the bench, but he has also had stretches where things have gotten loose on both ends.
Even with those ups and downs, his overall impact through 12 games has tilted positive, and the Lakers’ record backs that up. His showing against the Atlanta Hawks was a strong example.
Sexton scored 18 points, his second-highest total of the season, while adding six assists, two rebounds and one steal in 27 minutes. He also knocked down 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.
The adjustment has not been simple, especially after he missed all of preseason and the first game of the season because of a right lower-leg injury. That kind of lost time can make it tough to settle in, and Sexton said patience has been the big thing for him.
Collin Sexton on staying patient with himself after missing preseason: “I've been praying to God every day to give me patience and allow me to continue to work my way into a role that I like but also work my rhythm and get back to where I feel like you know what I'm back.” pic.twitter.com/W2HfwLLmAy
He also pointed to the trust he’s getting from JJ Redick as a major reason he’s been able to stay aggressive.
Collin Sexton said trust with JJ Redick has allowed him to “play free” and be aggressive. pic.twitter.com/3psiBAaM11
Sexton is in the first year of the two-year, $19 million contract he signed with the Lakers in the summer. Through 11 games, the former Alabama Crimson Tide guard is averaging 10.3 points on 42.9% shooting.
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