Two days after dropping a tight game against the Pistons despite scoring a career-high 17 points, Max Christie was back in the lineup on Christmas Day against the Warriors.
The former Michigan State star and current Los Angeles Laker was starting his seventh straight game. And for the fifth time in the month of December, Christie played over 30 minutes. This was also the second straight game of such an occurrence.
Earlier in the season, it looked like Christie was going to be another end-of-the-bench player who maybe saw the floor in blowouts but really didn't have a role. In fact, in early November, there was a four-game stretch in which he played four minutes or less. It felt like his role was irrelevant.
But something has clicked in December.
Seeing rookie Dalton Knecht post some big numbers must have motivated Christie because he's averaging 9.3 points in the month of December while averaging 28 minutes per game. He has seemingly captured the attention of head coach JJ Redick who has trusted enough to insert him in the starting lineup alongside the likes of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves. He's starting alongside NBA superstars and he looks comfortable.
Sure, his playing time is really seeing an uptick because the Lakers have been hit with some injuries, but even with some guys returning, he's playing big minutes.
Christie's role with the Lakers right now is starter and it felt temporary at first, but after following up his career-high 17-point game with a 16-point game in a win over the Warriors on the road, Christie is looking like the next piece to Los Angeles' puzzle.
Tom Izzo is smiling somewhere.