Zags in Summer League: Johnathan Williams the Rebounding Machine

Johnathan Williams finished with eight points and nine rebounds in his second NBA Summer League contest for the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. The Lakers fell to the Miami Heat 89-74.

It was an up-and-down night for Williams, who finished 4-for-11 from the field and 0-for-2 from the foul line to go along with three blocks, three turnovers, and a steal. He led all bench players with 24 minutes of action.

For the second straight night, Williams got into the game midway through the first quarter and had a lengthy first half run. The good news is that he was much more aggressive offensively than he was on Monday night. The bad news is the ball just wouldn’t fall for him. Williams was 1-for-7 from the floor in 12 first half minutes, including a couple missed shots inside the paint and a three-point attempt that missed the rim entirely. He was also blocked on a fast break dunk attempt.

The second half was more encouraging. Williams blocked a couple shots and finished off a lob pass late in the third quarter. He ended the night with his best stretch of play. He was able to get a guard switched on to him in the post, utilized the mismatch and spun past him for a thunderous dunk. A couple possessions later, he finished with his patented lefty hook across the lane.

The Lakers clearly want to see as much of Williams as they can. He’s averaged 22 minutes in two games, more than any other bench player. He continues to rebound the ball like a machine, leading the Lakers in that category both nights. If he continues to defend the rim, rebound the ball, and is able to capitalize on his aggressiveness offensively, some team should give him a shot in the regular season.

J3 and the Lakers have a day off Wednesday before taking on the Golden State Warriors summer squad on Thursday at noon. The game can be seen on ESPN3.