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Mohamed Bamba made his LA Lakers debut in their breakout 120-102 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. Bamba put in an excellent shift and impressed everyone with his high intensity on both ends of the floor. He seems to be on his way to becoming a fan favorite among the Lakers faithful.
Bamba was excited to put on a Lakers uniform for the first time. Here's what the 7-footer said in after the game (via Lakers Daily):
"Oh, I was very excited. I had 6 fouls."
Bamba made an electrifying debut for the LA Lakers against the New Orleans Pelicans. He went 0-for-5 from 3-point range and fouled out after playing 16 minutes. However, he had six rebounds and three blocks. The numbers didn't show his impact, but his mere presence helped the team on both ends of the court.
Bamba played in the rotation with Anthony Davis. That gave the Lakers the flexibility to remain efficient on both ends in AD's absence, especially defensively. The Pelicans were unable to attack the rim without Davis, thanks to Bamba's shot-blocking ability.
LA didn't have a presence like that outside of Davis before the trade deadline. The departed Thomas Bryant and reserve backup big Wenyen Gabriel put in solid shifts and played with great intensity. However, they didn't have the same impact as AD or Mohamed Bamba as rim protectors due to their lack of size.
Mohamed Bamba seems like the ideal backup big for LA Lakers
The LA Lakers traded for Mohamed Bamba at the trade deadline. They sent Patrick Beverley's expiring $13 million deal to the Orlando Magic as part of the trade. Bamba was a coveted target for many contenders. He didn't get the opportunity to showcase his talent on a large scale with the Magic, but his skill set was enough to impress teams around the league.
Bamba is a solid presence on defense due to his 7'0" frame. Offensively, he can stretch the floor. Bamba has shot 39.8% from deep with the Magic across 40 games this year. Even during his off-shooting nights, the defense will get stretched as Bamba is a confident shooter.
The LA Lakers were able to rest Anthony Davis mid-game with Mohamed Bamba on the floor. AD played 30 minutes, around four less than his season average, which is crucial for the Lakers to help the injury-prone star remain fresh.
Bamba also displayed decent chemistry playing alongside LeBron James as well. It's a small sample size, but the signs are encouraging for Bamba to have a successful tenure with the Lakers.
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