SKY NEWS: Darvin Ham declare the Los Angeles Lakers are undefeated when Rui Hachimura Is Playing Well.

c was the man the Los Angeles Lakers needed to step up big against the Utah Jazz in his absence from LeBron James.

The forward scored a career-high 36 points in the Lakers’ 16-point victory, shooting 13 of 19 from the field and 6 of 8 from three-point range. It was his best offensive performance of the year.

Hachimura signed a new contract last summer, but his performance has been inconsistent this season. Although he demonstrated his abilities during the Lakers’ playoff run the previous season, head coach Darvin Ham has had difficulty getting the forward to consistently produce at the same level this year.

Ham believes that Hachimura’s aggressiveness is one quality that is crucial to his success. The Lakers coach discussed how dangerous Hachimura can be when he plays aggressively after the game and said that he has responded well to his teammates’ and coaches’ encouragement, via Spectrum SportsNet:

exceedingly risky. He hardly ever has two poor performances in a row when it comes to his aggression. I simply told him, “I need you to come out and play like a wild man,” prior to that New Orleans game on the second night of a back-to-back following Denver’s defeat. Just cover the entire game with your fingerprints.

“Just the way you run, the way you play, the way you run with force, the way you attack the offensive and defensive glass, it’s really working. Since we acquired him last year, he has improved greatly. He is still excellent at keeping the ball in front of his basket, playing in the pocket, pulling down offensive rebounds, and supporting the defensive glass.

The Lakers’ ceiling is greatly increased when Hachimura performs well. In addition to his size and scoring prowess, his improved defense also makes a significant impact. Although James and Anthony Davis will succeed, the Lakers will be more difficult to beat the more players like Hachimura offer reliable support.

Rui Hachimura wants to be the X-factor for Lakers

Rui Hachimura, for his part, wants to leave an impression each and every time he takes the court because he knows how crucial he is to the success of this Lakers team.

Whether he is starting or comes off the bench, Hachimura says his objective is to make an impact on the game every time he steps onto the court and wants to be the Lakers’ X-factor. The forward went on to say that he wants to win and that he knows he needs to play aggressively in order to contribute to that goal.