Rui Hachimura has LA Lakers scaling records from Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal era with career-high 36-point night

Rui Hachimura arguably had the best game of his career on Wednesday for the LA Lakers. With LeBron James out due to an ankle injury, the Japanese scored a career-high 36 points on 13-for-19 shooting. Hachimura also hit a career-best six 3-pointers to give Anthony Davis the help he needed to carry the Lakers to a 138-122 win over the Utah Jazz.

AD paced Darvin Ham’s team with 37 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Davis and Hachimura became the first Lakers duo with at least 35 points each since Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant did the feat in 2003. That 2003 Lakers led by the Hall of Famers went on to win the championship.

For most of the time this season, Rui Hachimura has had to come off the bench. Ham has preferred Taurean Prince to start in the frontline along with Anthony Davis and LeBron James. If the former Washington Wizards forward consistently puts up this kind of performance, he will likely earn a spot in LA’s first five.

Hachimura has better overall numbers than Prince in slightly fewer minutes. Perhaps the postseason will force Ham to make changes to his starting unit. If the Japanese international continues to play the way he did against the Utah Jazz, it will be difficult to deny him more playing time.

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Rui Hachimura played within the flow of the Lakers offense

Without LeBron James, D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves had bigger playmaking responsibilities. On Wednesday night, they found Rui Hachimura on several occasions out of the flow of the Lakers' offense.

Unsurprisingly, LA’s point of attack was Anthony Davis. Russell and Reaves did a good job of finding the open man when Utah's defense paid too much attention to the All-Star big man. The result was Hachimura getting several open looks to start the game.

Once the versatile forward got his rhythm going, LA’s backcourt only repeatedly kept looking for him. The Lakers bench egged him on to keep shooting almost every time he had the ball. Hachimura reached a career milestone by helping his team execute the game plan. He took the opportunities given to him and delivered big time.

Rui Hachimura showed glimpses of what he could do in last year’s playoffs. After reaching the Western Conference Finals, Darvin Ham will count on him learning his lessons. If Hachimura can hold his own on defense and shoot the lights out, his minutes will get a big boost.

Ham knows that Hachimura doesn’t need to have the ball in his hands all the time to make an impact. The coach can design plays to get him open looks to get him going early. If the versatile forward can take advantage of his opportunities, LA will be an even tougher team to beat.