It was one of the great stories at the start of last season. Having gone from a job in a New York cemetery and deliveries for Uber Eats to the NBA, Matt Ryan was the unlikely hero of the Lakers against the Pelicans, with a 3-pointer to snatch overtime.
Here he is now with the jersey of New Orleans, which got it back when the Wolves cut it.
Discard the game
Obviously, the club had in mind his decisive shot which had hurt them very badly last year, and the Pelicans therefore recruited him on a “two-way contract” because the franchise needs shooters in order to stretch defenses.
“Matt Ryan is a hard worker” confirms CJ McCollum. “Obviously, he has this reputation as a shooter, he scored the 3-point victory last year against us. Even when he misses his shots, people know he’s on the floor and he can shoot. And that makes life easier for us to attack the circle. »
In the absence of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, Willie Green had also decided to start the 26-year-old winger, also with rookie Jordan Hawkins, to clear the game around CJ McCollum, Herb Jones and Jonas Valanciunas. And if the former UConn player didn’t necessarily shine (1/5 in the exercise), Matt Ryan stood out.
Because for his first career start, a year to the day after his decisive 3-pointer for the Lakers, he broke his record with 20 points in 35 minutes, again a record, at 6/8 at 3-points!
“Huge match from Matt. He’s a hard worker, a confident person. He’s going to continue to take those 3-point shots when he’s open. He plays basketball the right way.” appreciates his trainer.
A great understanding with Jonas Valanciunas
We saw Matt Ryan a lot, well, combining with Jonas Valanciunas, on hand-to-hand, but also by doubling the passes for his pivot, or by constantly moving to offer him an exit solution.
“Spacing” he answers when asked what makes the five used by Willie Green work so well. “We offer space to CJ (McCollum). We go hard on defense, we run. CJ and Jonas (Valanciunas) do a big job anchoring this group, and Herb (Jones) keeps the defense together. It’s a good mix. »
Admitting to having felt a bit of fatigue at the start of the fourth quarter, because he was not “not used to having so many minutes”Matt Ryan nevertheless found some momentum to score two important 3-points.
“It’s what I’ve always dreamed of. I still feel like it’s just beginning. I’m still making a name for myself and I want to keep it that way. Once you start tasting it, you always want more. Every match, I look forward to the next one because I feel like I’m in better physical condition. »
