Matt Ryan, unlikely Lakers hero

Nice fairy tale last season when the Celtics offered him a “two-way contract” while he was previously living by working in a cemetery in New York or delivering meals for Uber Eats, Matt Ryan has now gone to l intimate enemy, on the other side of the country, in Hollywood with the Lakers.

In sight during the preseason, including a 20-point game (6/9 3-point) to beat the Warriors, Matt Ryan shone again, returning the Lakers’ equalizer shot against New Orleans .

A sacred miracle!

Badly embarked after missing five consecutive shots in the last minute and a half of the game, the Lakers were even given for dead as the Australian rookie from Louisiana, Dyson Daniels, headed for the free throw line with less than two seconds left. to play.

But, small miracle, after the two missed throws by Dyson Daniels, Los Angeles was still alive. On the throw-in made by Austin Reaves, it is Matt Ryan who inherits the leather for a final prayer. At that time, he was 2/8 behind the arc, before scoring the equalizer to snatch extra time!

“When it comes to shooting, my confidence is unwavering”he says on ESPN. “I wouldn’t be here if that wasn’t the case. »

Although he finished 4/11 on shots for 11 points in the end, Matt Ryan was forgiven after his ultra-important shot to snatch a second victory in a row. The “journeyman” even felt like LeBron James with the swarm of journalists around him in the locker room after the game.

“The only thing that would have made it harder to shoot was if the defense had been closer to me, or if the pass had been deflected. The pass was very clean and the defense was far enough that I could arm my shot without any problem. For a shooter, if you can plant your supports and see the circle, that’s all you can ask for.” he explains thus.

Lakers finally launched?

With Anthony Davis, Patrick Beverley and LeBron James as other options on the throw-in, the Lakers staff had considered several options. But that of Matt Ryan was finally the right one, on a masterful pass from Austin Reaves which sent a millimeter missile crossing the entire field in the opposite angle.

“I thought in my heart of hearts that [les Pelicans] knew that Matt was one of our options to shoot so I was thinking of using him as a decoy for someone else,” revealed Darvin Ham afterwards. “But the action was clearly designed for him. Austin sent a crazy pass! »

Carried by their audience to the angels, the Lakers then did the work seriously in overtime, in order to ensure this second success in a row which must definitely launch their season after five defeats in a row!

“We didn’t deserve to win this game. Kudos to the Lakers, they did what it took to win.”said Willie Green, handsome loser.

The next step for the Lakers will be the reception of the Jazz this Friday, the big surprise of this start to the season with 6 wins in 9 games. To continue to climb the slope in the Western Conference!

“We just have to keep this feeling”concludes Anthony Davis, author of a big game with 20 points, 16 rebounds and 4 blocks. “We have to keep fighting, to stay in the moment to remember what it feels like after these victories. We want to continue like this. We are starting to find our rhythm, to find our rotations, and situations where we can be very strong. We begin to assemble all the elements. »