In The Valley, without James Harden for personal reasons, the LA Clippers felt the heat of the desert, which Jalen Green heavily enforced in his 29-point debut, as they lost by 13. Usually, defeats reveal what needs fixing, and this one did, but it also gave the coaching staff an opportunity to witness Cam Christie’s potential for the first legitimate time as a sophomore, and he did not disappoint.
Christie came off the bench and played 25 minutes of action. Surprisingly, this is the most he has played in the league as a professional. Prior to last night’s loss, the former second-round pick had not eclipsed eight minutes this season and 18 minutes last season.
In this potential career-changing opportunity, Christie posted 17 points, his highest in the NBA, three assists, and two rebounds, shooting 5-7 from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc.
Unfortunately, Christie’s legendary night was not celebrated as it should have been, with a game ball, but it did one thing for sure: it raised Tyronn Lue’s eyebrows as someone who may need to be squeezed into the rotation.
Tyronn Lue must find a way to make space for Cam Christie
Despite being the youngest player on the team, with only one year of experience, Cam Christie showed with his 17 points that he is too good to be on the bench. He certainly needs to learn and grow, but if Tyronn Lue just has him sitting and waiting for his number to be called, valuable minutes he could be thriving in will be slipping away.
Thus, Lue should have confidence in the young wing and allow the opportunity he just dominated to lead to a few more. He may not have a career night every time, yet all Lue needs to see is efficient scoring in the ways he learned over the offseason and showed during the summer league.
Thereafter, the front office will believe in Christie’s long-term vision and may trade a guard in the active rotation, such as Bogdan Bogdanovic. A move like this will give him at least 20 minutes a night to shine, where the Serbian Star was on the second unit.
That said, the LA Clippers’ trip to Phoenix was a failed mission, as they lost when needing a win to end their losing streak. However, there was one bright spot, and it was all about Christie and his year-two development in Lue’s system.