Rui Hachimura has improved drastically of late.

Rui Hachimura

On Wednesday the Lakers registered their 41st win against the Memphis Grizzlies, led by Rui Hachimura. The Lakers are on a roll, as they are now cruising through with a five-game winning streak. While the men in purple and gold have had LeBron James or Anthony Davis do most of the work, it was the Japanese who did the most versus the Grizzlies.

Hachimura has proved to be productive when needed the most, time and time again. The 26-year-old put up 32 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 7 three-pointers, being 7 for 8 from downtown. Hachimura was consistent, and when asked what led to this dominant performance, his response was quite hilarious.

Hachimura said in the post-game interview:

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a very big fan of this city. I always had a great memory here.

Rui Hachimura said

The Lakers played without Anthony Davis, for which Rui stepped up big-time in Memphis. Looking at his stats playing in the FedEx Forum, Hachimura has always been dominant, including in the previous postseason, when the Lakers played the Grizzlies in the first round. So far into the season, Rui Hachimura has been an extremely useful asset, knowing his role well on both ends of the floor.

Rui Hachimura has an impressive record against the Grizzlies

Hachimura has played quite efficiently each time he played the Grizzlies wearing purple and gold. He’s averaged 16.8 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting over 62% from deep. Ever since he joined the Lakers, Hachimura has been a much more consistent player, taking more responsibility for his role on the team. He will be a crucial asset for the squad going into the playoffs this year.

The Lakers are 9th in the West, and with how things have played out, the squad wouldn’t see any change in their position in the West. With players like Austin Reaves, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Hachimura stepping up, the Lakers will have a versatile lineup for the postseason. It will be interesting to see them in the playoffs if they do manage to make it out of the Play-In.

While the Lakers didn’t have a great season to start with, they can show their true potential in the postseason. With just nine games left in the season, the Lakers will look to maintain their record heading into the Play-In. According to current standings, the Warriors and Lakers will matchup for the second time in a Play-In tournament.