LeBron James and the Lakers were on the road Saturday afternoon to face Steph Curry and the Warriors. With a 118-108 win, the Lakers are 6-4 in their last 10 and have won three straight.
They are 25-18 this season, fifth in the Western Conference. Early in December, head coach J.J. Redick made Max Christe a starter for the Lakers. Since then, the 21-year-old has been a difference-maker for Los Angeles. Christie’s defense is his strong suit and he continues to improve as a scorer.
Max Christie has started 20 straight games for the Lakers
MAX CHRISTIE ON 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bx9picJo45
— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) January 26, 2025
With a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the Lakers drafted Max Christie out of Michigan State. In three seasons with Los Angeles, Christie has played in 150 games and has 31 starts. The 2024-25 season is his first with J.J. Redick as his head coach. To begin the year, Redick had confidence in Christie but his play on the court was lackluster. Still, his coach knew that Christie played with a ton of confidence and never gave up on the third-year pro.
On December 8, Max Christie started his second game of the season for the Lakers. Since then, Christie has made 20 straight starts and has shown major signs of improvement. Against the Trail Blazers on January 8, Christie scored a career-high 28 points. He went 5-9 from beyond the arc. If Christie can become a two-way threat for the Lakers, a second contract could be coming his way.
At six-foot-six, Christie is on the taller side for shooting guards. With a six-foot-eight wing span and versatility on defense, Christie has the tools to be a star for the Lakers. Max Christie is far from a finished product for Los Angeles. Veteran players like Dorian Finney-Smith have taken Christie under his wing to help him develop. Finney-Smith is a player who struggled to shoot threes early in his career but eventually found consistency. The Lakers know Max Christie has more room to grow offensively.
