The Los Angeles Lakers won their last game against the host Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center on Sunday night in a thrilling comeback.
The Lakers and Mavericks went neck-and-neck during the game, but the host kept failing to hold leads as the Lakers kept on fighting. At the final whistle, the visiting team got the last laugh with a narrow 111-108 scoreline. Four of the Lakers’ starting lineup scored double figures to ensure the result.
Among them, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd noticed newcomer Jarred Vanderbilt. The former point guard was hugely impressed by the youngster’s dominant performance at their home venue.
How good was Jarred Vanderbilt for the Los Angeles Lakers?
After one and a half seasons with the Utah Jazz, the 23-year-old was traded to the Lakers in a three-team trade on deadline day. Later, he appeared in five games, including the team’s final three victories.
Coach Kidd was overjoyed with the 6.8-foot PF’s performance and didn’t hesitate to praise the youngster. “He killed us. He kicked our asses tonight, offensively and defensively,” the Mavericks coach said. “Being able to rebound the ball and he killed us on one of the boards, and we’ve seen that before in Minnesota and then also in Utah.”
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd on Jarred Vanderbilt's performance, who finished with 15 points and 17 rebounds:
"He killed us. He kicked our ass tonight, offensively and defensively. Being able to rebound the ball and he killed us on of the boards, and we've seen that before in… pic.twitter.com/EtYTpM6qfr
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) February 27, 2023
In the last game against the Mavericks, Jarred had 15 points, 17 rebounds, and four steals. Furthermore, he did an excellent job of keeping Mavericks star Luka Doncic in check.
Previously, Vanderbilt played twice against the Mavericks for jazz, but his Lakers’ performances are out of this world. This is the most rebound he has made this season, where he has averaged 7.9 rebounds per game.
His prowess gained the maximum appreciation from the 49-year-old coach. In his form, this was indicating something similar, and the opponent was also preparing for the power forward. But, in the end, he was able to keep Donnic at 45.5% field goal completion rate.
What’s your opinion of Jarred Vanderbilt’s performance for the Lakers? How would you rate his performance? Let us know your opinions in the comments.
