Darius Morris helps Lakers dominate Warriors

In helping the Lakers defeat the Golden State Warriors (101-77) on Friday, second-year point guard Darius Morris arguably had the best game of his young career.

With Steve Nash out with a non-displaced leg fracture and Steve Blake in foul trouble, interim-Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff needed Morris to play nearly 26 minutes.

Morris delivered with 10 points, five assists and five rebounds.

Bickerstaff stuck with the point-guard rotation of the team’s former coach, Mike Brown, playing Morris ahead of veteran Chris Duhon.

The team re-signed Morris over the summer (on a one-year contract worth $962,195). After the season, Morris will once again be a restricted free agent this summer once the Lakers make a qualifying offer.

Morris has good size for his position (6’4”) and natural (but raw) point guard skills. The team is hoping the 21-year old guard out of Michigan can develop into a reliable, consistent rotation player. Defensively he’s still learning how to use his size and young legs, but has developed since his rookie campaign.

Morris needs time and opportunity, which the Nash injury has temporarily provided.

His growth will come with starts and stops but on Friday, Morris gave the Lakers exactly what was needed.

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You can email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.