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Collin Sexton is one of the players the Lakers acquired for a moment like Wednesday, and he delivered in a big way, coming off the bench to provide energy and effort in helping the Lakers take a 103-87 victory over the Clippers. “Sometimes it’s hard to get his attention because he gets locked in, he gets in the zone,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said about Sexton. “I love the competitive fire.” Sexton was at his best in the third quarter, scoring 11 of his 21 points, flexing and pounding his chest after a made basket. His play helped the Lakers open a 22-point lead they never lost.
Collin Sexton has gone viral several times for his intense facial expressions on the court. And now with the Los Angeles Lakers, he is embracing that fiery persona to help the team win. "I think just bringing that juice," Sexton said of his fiery facial expression in his postgame walk-off interview. "I come into the game and try to impact on the defensive end. "I know what I can do offensively, but I just want to come in and be a pest and be someone that changes the game on the defensive side."
The numbers don’t do Sexton’s brand of ball justice. Teammates report feeling his influence on the court the moment he checks in. The free agent acquisition guards like a pesky summer mosquito. He attacks like, well, the well-earned nickname he’s carried since high school. “They call me a bull for a reason,” Sexton said. “Whenever I get out on that court, it’s go time. It’s no creeping into the game.”
Benjamin Royer: Guard Collin Sexton played with Walker Kessler in Utah. He enjoyed seeing his former-and-current big man dominate with 10 dunks on Wednesday, he said. “It was one of those games where (he) just let the jitters out. It was pretty cool to see him start his Laker debut like that.”
Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Collin Sexton in position to make his Lakers debut after being removed from the injury report for tomorrow's game against the Clippers. Jake LaRavia is questionable after spraining his right ankle in the fourth quarter Wednesday. Cam Carr and Adou Thieor still out.
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Thuc Nhi Nguyen: JJ Redick said Cameron Carr is "day to day" with his oblique strain and Collin Sexton, while missing today's game with a calf strain, didn't suffer a setback, but just a collaborative decision to sit out today.
Law Murray: Collin Sexton (lower right leg) will not make his Lakers debut tonight vs Warriors Quentin Grimes started first four preseason games. Matisse Thybulle started preseason finale Friday, in part to see Grimes in a 6Man role
Tomer Azarly: Collin Sexton is QUESTIONABLE for the Lakers tomorrow with a right soleus strain. Cameron Carr (oblique) and Adou Thiero (knee) are both OUT.
With more than half of their roster wearing the purple and gold for the first time, some Lakers might still be getting on the same page after less than three weeks of practices. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are already playing a completely different game. “They’re always, like, playing chess out there,” guard Collin Sexton said.
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After an offseason of change, it’s still the Lakers’ two most established stars who will control the season’s fate. Doncic and Reaves were 30-11 in games played together last season. In 1,092 minutes, lineups with Doncic and Reaves together outscored opponents by 8.9 points per 100 possessions, the third-best net rating on the team for any pair of regular rotation players. Their established chemistry gives the Lakers a strong foundation for the season. “Austin and Luka, they kind of see things before it happens,” Sexton said. “And I feel like that allows them to be so good offensively and be able to score, but also to put us in the right situation to be successful as well.”
Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Collin Sexton said he's taking it "day by day" ahead of Wednesday's season opener. After missing all of preseason with a lower leg injury, he took notes about where he fits in: "I'm super excited to get out there, and I can see where I can fit in pretty easily."
Law Murray: JJ Redick says that Collin Sexton returned to a full practice Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero held out Dalton Knecht and Bronny James “under the weather”
Quentin Grimes, who had started the first four preseason games and had been solid in his role, was not among them. “I know that there’s a chance Quentin is gonna have an opportunity to start,” Redick said. “This was the original plan we were gonna have for the Sacramento game with Collin [Sexton] out. ... We just wanna get a look on that tonight, and we’ll see. But nothing definitive for next week.” Grimes averaged 12.3 points, 2.5 assists and shot 53.3%, including 41.2% from three-point range, in 24.3 minutes per game in the preseason.
