Bronny James impressed against the Warriors as the LA Lakers prepare for the NBA season tip-off in less than two weeks without LeBron James.
The Lakers registered their first pre-season victory, defeating the Golden State Warriors 126-116.
And it was a more encouraging performance from Bronny, who is entering his second season in the league.
In the Lakers' previous defeat to the Warriors, Bronny played 23 minutes, but struggled, making just two baskets from six attempts. However, on Sunday, he showed improvement, scoring seven points in 16 minutes.
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He was perfect from the free-throw line, scoring on five occasions, while he made one of his two field goal attempts. The young guard also outscored Warriors star Draymond Green, despite playing fewer minutes.
Green is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in history and is both a four-time NBA champion and a four-time All Star.
For Bronny, who has focused on improving his defense over the summer, it is a promising sign that he has outperformed Green on one metric.
At six foot three with a wing span of six foot seven and a half, Bronny has often been tipped to develop into an effective defensive player. He has demonstrated the instincts necessary to become an effective guard.
Last month, he said: It’s definitely made me think about being more aggressive on that end of the floor, but I can’t lose that defensive drive that will get me on the floor because there’s going to be guys that can score 15, 20 a game.
“I’m most likely not going to be that guy right now. To get myself on the floor, I’ve got to be a defensive menace.
"That’s my main focus, getting conditioned this year.
"It’s been shown that I know how to score the ball a little bit, I’m staying true to that, but also focusing on the defensive end.”
After a difficult start to the pre-season, some Lakers fans were starting to grow frustrated with Bronny.
But with LeBron expected to miss October with injury, the team will need players like Bronny to step up and contribute more consistently.
The Lakers have three pre-season games left before their season opener on October 21 against the Warriors.
Bronny's improved display could see him take on a larger role when the regular season gets underway.
If he continues to build on this performance, he has the potential to be a valuable contributor at both ends of the court.
Topics: Basketball, LA Lakers, Lebron James, NBA
James Taylor