Is Montrezl Harrell the answer to Anthony Davis' absence for the LA Lakers?
Montrezl Harrell had his first minutes on the court for the LA Lakers on Sunday after game one of their series against the Phoenix Suns. Although brief, his importance to Frank Vogel's team may increase in the aftermath of Anthony Davis' injury.
Due to a strained groin, Davis did not return from the locker room at halftime in the Lakers' 100-92 loss on Sunday. He has been reported as highly unlikely to play Tuesday night in game five. Despite this, reports suggest the power forward could return to the lineup later in the series. However, for now, Vogel and his coaching staff will have to come up with a solution to fill Davis' contribution.
In this article, we will examine the likelihood of Montrezl Harrell coming back into the lineup and why this should be the case for the LA Lakers.
How Montrezl Harrell can help the LA Lakers while Anthony Davis is sidelined
The LA Lakers were dealt a setback in their series with the Phoenix Suns when Anthony Davis was ruled out for the remainder of game four at the weekend. The 28-year-old had averaged 34 points and 10.5 rebounds in the previous two games after a poor performance in game one. His ability on both ends of the floor is crucial to the reigning champions and it now leaves Frank Vogel in a difficult position ahead of game five.
During the regular season when Davis was injured, Vogel used a mixture of options. Frequently, Markieff Morris started on the frontcourt alongside LeBron James while Montrezl Harrell came off the bench.
Harrell has fallen out of favor, however, in the LA Lakers' pecking order. Vogel has chosen to utilize size and defensive nous in their series with the Phoenix Suns to combat DeAndre Ayton, Devin Booker and Jae Crowder. That has meant turning to Marc Gasol to rotate with Andre Drummond, while Harrell has missed two games and played only 20 minutes in the other two combined.
With Davis now out, however, this may pave the way for Montrezl Harrell to remind Vogel what he has been missing.
Harrell was extremely efficient when he gained minutes for the LA Lakers. Per 36, he averages 21 points and 9.8 rebounds with an offensive rating of 127. Since Vogel wouldn't have to deploy him at the five spot, Harrell could fill in at power forward. He can focus on providing points and boards, rather than having to focus on stopping Ayton.
The LA Lakers offense on Sunday was timid, with LeBron James the only starter to score double digit points. In Montrezl Harrell, they have an energetic, bullish player who averaged 13.5 points with 62% shooting accuracy during the regular season. His effectiveness on offense could persuade Vogel to play the 27-year-old frequently in game five, rather than bringing in a defensively-minded player such as Markieff Morris.
Harrell has the ability to take on the likes of Crowder in the paint and brings a passion and determination that the LA Lakers lacked in game four. Although Tuesday night is not necessarily a must-win, the Lakers will want to avoid a game seven on the road.
It's theoretically an opportunity to compete without the expectation of a win. This should take the pressure off, therefore why not give Montrezl Harrell more of a chance to prove himself?