While the 2021-22 season for the Los Angeles Lakers has been filled with disappointments, one pleasant surprise has been the play of guard Malik Monk.
Monk was added to the roster during the past offseason, and he has served as a valuable offensive weapon throughout the campaign so far.
Malik Monk recently spoke with Jovan Buha of The Athletic and discussed the major factors behind his ascent this campaign.
“My shot selection and the balance of not just falling in love with the 3,” Monk said of his improvement. “Passing them up to get to the lane. Throwing lobs to get to the lane. Throwing pocket passes. Just balancing the game out well. I think that was the biggest thing.”
The Lakers’ season thus far has been nothing to get excited about. Currently, the team sits at the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference with a record of 27-31. It could get even worse with the absence of big man Anthony Davis.
If the Lakers do manage to get back into the thick of the playoff battle, however, Monk will almost certainly play a key role. So far this season, he’s averaging 13.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He’s also shooting an impressive 47.1 percent from the field and a solid 39.9 percent from 3-point land.
While many of the Lakers’ offseason additions have been fairly disappointing, Monk has been anything but.
With the All-Star Game now in the rearview mirror and games slated to get going again in a few days, it will be interesting to see if Monk gets even more playing time. Right now, he’s averaging 27.1 minutes per game.
If he keeps playing like he has recently, there’s a high likelihood that he’ll earn a bit more usage as the season rolls on.
