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Rui Hachimura reveals whether he feels he can play in the season opener

Posted on by Kennedy
Rui Hachimura reveals whether he feels he can play in the season opener

One of the biggest, if not the most important, key to a successful season for the Los Angeles Lakers is staying healthy. While LeBron James and Anthony Davis both played in over 70 games last season, forward Jarred Vanderbilt and guard Gabe Vincent, two of their best defenders, missed almost the entire season.

For now, Vanderbilt is still battling back from offseason surgery on his feet, while frontman Christian Wood is recovering from knee surgery he underwent late summer.

Striker Rui Hachimura played in 68 games last season but struggled with several ailments. Although he missed the Lakers' last two preseason games because of calf strain, he says he's a good fit for the team's regular-season opener on Tuesday.

Hachimura could play a larger role this season under new head coach JJ Redick. Redick wants him to break down the offensive boards and possibly shoot more threes.

He will remain in LA's starting lineup after coming off the bench for much of the first half of last season. In addition to his offensive skills, he has the ability to effectively guard opposing big men at times, taking a defensive burden off Davis while at the same time allowing Davis to operate more like a free safety on that end of the court.

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