JJ Redick shares his thoughts on Max Christie's performance against Wolves

Neither LeBron James nor Anthony Davis sat out the Lakers' first preseason game against the Timberwolves. There was no win either, as Los Angeles lost 124-107 to Minnesota.

Nevertheless, it is preparation for the season and it is a success as long as you get through these games without any new injuries.

The Lakers stayed healthy and also showed some outstanding individual performances, especially Max Christie.

He started the game for Los Angeles and finished the night with 11 points and seven rebounds in 34 minutes of play.

After the game, JJ Redick praised the play of his young Lakers guard.

“Max is an old soul,” Redick said. “He's wise and he's mature and he takes it very seriously and I really appreciate that about him. So it's no surprise to me that he plays a lot of minutes in a game like this, doesn't hang his head, he just keeps competing. It will be very valuable for us this year.

Christie has received compliments on his work throughout the summer. LeBron James has highlighted his qualities and it's not the first time Redick has drawn attention to Christie's game.

On Friday, Christie was a workhorse for this team and showed why he's getting so much trust, even if he still feels like he still has a lot to prove.

He was strong defensively, played more than anyone else on the roster and had a team-high seven boards.

With more plays like this from Christie, he could be the first player off the bench for this team. This gives the Lakers someone they can rely on to hit the open jumpers, be on the ball a bit and defend well at the rim.

We've seen highlights from Christie throughout his career, which is why the Lakers signed him to a four-year, $32 million deal this summer.

Now it's time to start production. In his first chance this year, Christie did just that.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.