LOS ANGELES — Spencer Dinwiddie hasn’t accumulated a lot of “sexy stats”, as he refers to them, since joining the Lakers as a free agent almost a month ago.
But his game-sealing block against Damian Lillard in Friday’s 123-122 home win over the Milwaukee Bucks epitomizes how Dinwiddie has bought into a new role.
“I’m not gonna lie to you, having been a high-usage offensive guy my entire career, even when I was a kid, I kind of dreamed of those moments in terms of hitting the shot, not necessarily getting the block,” Dinwiddie said late Friday night. “But it feels pretty much just as sweet.”
Dinwiddie, who made his first start in place of LeBron James, who was sidelined because of left ankle peroneal tendinopathy, was originally guarding Pat Connaughton.
But he and Cam Reddish switched defensive assignments on Connaughton’s inbounds pass to Lillard, leaving Dinwiddie guarding Lillard with a lot of space around them.
Dinwiddie, knowing Lillard likes to get his stepback jumper going left, cut off that side of the floor to force Lillard to go to his right. And when Lillard tried to create separation with a couple of drives before leaning back for a potential game-winning shot, Dinwiddie delivered the game-clinching on the Bucks’ final possession.
“He took a couple [of] dribbles, and then just didn’t have the same type of separation,” Dinwiddie said of his block on Lillard. “So when he went to the step-back pull-up there, I felt he was close enough. And I just jumped to try to contest a shot. And fortunately, I was able to get the block as well.”
And once it was apparent that Dinwiddie sealed the win for the Lakers, the announced crowd of 18,997 people inside Crypto.com Arena roared.
“It’s fun to step into a new role with my childhood team and be productive in the sense of helping us get wins,” Dinwiddie said. “That isn’t lost on me, and it’s something that I’m definitely gonna cherish the rest of my…
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