The Los Angeles Lakers are now 9-2 after 11 games, after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks, 118-107, in the first game of their three-game road trip. Kobe Bryant led the way in Tuesday's win in Milwaukee, with 31 points, but a big lift was provided by Shannon Brown off the bench. Brown scored 21 points in his 21 minutes of play, making seven of his nine shots, continuing his stellar play this season.
Brown is leading all Lakers reserves is scoring this season, averaging 11.3 points per game, all while averaging just 18.8 minutes per contest. Brown has been remarkably consistent this season. He has made at least half of his field goal attempts in eight of the Lakers' 11 games this season, and on the season Brown is shooting 52.3% this season, after shooting 42.7% last season. Brown has made 20 of 39 three-point field goals (51.3%), and 26 of 49 two-point shots (53.1%).
More importantly, Brown looks incredibly comfortable within the triangle offense this season. Empirically, he doesn't seem to be forcing anything, and is thriving because of it. Whether that is due to often playing alongside a more conciliatory Steve Blake this season compared to last season's Jordan Farmar, or whether Brown is simply maturing, the Lakers are better because of it. Brown, making $2.2 million this season, is fast becoming one of the NBA's better bargains.
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