Rui Hachimura’s role for the Los Angeles Lakers will be important as they prepare to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, according to a May 3 statement. His shooting from beyond the arc and mid-range has become a key asset for Los Angeles.
The matchup is significant because Oklahoma City is known for its strong defense, and additional offensive contributions could be crucial for the Lakers. Chet Holmgren, who played at Gonzaga like Hachimura, spoke about his respect for Hachimura’s skills and gave him a new nickname.
“Something about those Gonzaga guys. He’s a talented guy. He plays a little bit like Japanese Jordan sometimes when you see the turnaround and stuff,” Holmgren told Michael Martin of Let’s Talk Thunder. “Alright, I’m going way too far right now. Nah, he can really make shots, make shots in bunches if you let him. So, you can let him get hot, give him any easy ones. Again, just like anybody else, you got to make everything challenging and try to make him uncomfortable.”
The Thunder are expected to focus on limiting LeBron James and Austin Reaves with their physical perimeter defenders while Holmgren helps defend inside against drives to the basket. This may force Los Angeles to rely more on jump shots during the series.
Hachimura has been efficient from three-point range this postseason with a shooting percentage of 58.6%. The decision on who will guard Hachimura remains open; it could be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or another guard tasked with containing his scoring ability.
Reflecting on their recent playoff success against Houston Rockets, Hachimura said that after losing two games in a row before Game 6 in Houston, “the team approached Game 6 as their Game 7,” which resulted in a decisive win by twenty points.