Lakers' Sandro Mamukelashvili finds his footing as JJ Redick gives him room to play
Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 23 in back-to-back Lakers wins and says the trust from JJ Redick and his teammates is freeing him to play his own game.
Sandro Mamukelashvili spent much of his career trying to figure out what his coaches wanted from him. With the Lakers, he says he's been given a simpler instruction: be himself. The results showed up this week. The forward scored 23 points in Monday's win at Atlanta and then matched that season high on Wednesday at Milwaukee.
Speaking with the New York Post after the 123-112 win over the Bucks, Mamukelashvili said the Lakers' faith in him has quieted his mind. JJ Redick told the Post he saw Mamukelashvili as an overthinker in training camp, something the coach said he could relate to. Redick has made a point of telling the 27-year-old that his teammates and coaches believe in him. He also said Mamukelashvili has real freedom inside the offense, just as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves do.
That message lands differently for a player who has bounced around the league. Mamukelashvili came through Milwaukee, San Antonio and Toronto, and he told the Post that his road included a two-way contract and stretches out of the rotation, which he said wore on him mentally and made him doubt himself. "I want to be aggressive from the jump," he said, adding that knowing his coach and teammates trust him means he doesn't have to think as much.
The night in Milwaukee, where the Bucks drafted him in 2021, was about as clean as it gets. According to The Associated Press, he played second fiddle only to Doncic's 32 points, while Reaves added 18 in his return from an illness that kept him out on Monday. Mamukelashvili went 9 of 15 from the field and 5 of 8 from three in 26 minutes. The Lakers turned 19 Milwaukee turnovers into 28 points.
Los Angeles paid for that kind of production. Silver Screen and Roll notes that the team signed him to a four-year, $52 million deal this offseason. The outlet reports he has shot 41.2% from three in a role that moves him between power forward and small-ball center. He is averaging 10.8 points per game. Mamukelashvili admitted that fully trusting the team's belief in him is still a work in progress. He said that once a player starts guessing what others think of him, he loses his swagger.
What it means for Sunday in Phoenix
The Lakers are 11-2 and have won seven straight since their 112-95 loss at Golden State. They visit the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, November 15, to close a four-game road trip that has gone 3-0 so far. Wins at Detroit (121-116), Atlanta (124-114) and Milwaukee (123-112) have pushed their road record to 6-1. During the streak they have topped 115 points in six of seven games. Their only home loss came against Portland, 136-129.
The Lakers' rotation looks deeper now that Doncic and Reaves are back on the floor together. A confident Mamukelashvili gives Redick a frontcourt option who can space the floor or handle the ball when the second unit plays. The Phoenix game is the last test before the Lakers head home, and it's another chance to see whether two strong nights from Mamukelashvili become a steady part of his game. Follow the season on our Lakers team page.