Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Shows improvement in Game 2
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Russell logged 23 points (8-16 FG, 7-11 3Pt), three rebounds and six assists across 39 minutes during Monday's 101-99 loss to the Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
Russell delivered a much-improved effort compared to Game 1 when he notched 13 points while shooting poorly from the field (6-20 FG, 1-9 3Pt). However, his strong contributions were not enough Monday, as the Lakers wasted a 20-point lead and lost the game on a buzzer-beater from Jamal Murray. Nonetheless, the uptick in efficiency is nice to see from Russell, who should have a pivotal role on offense in Thursday's decisive Game 3.
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Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Poor shooting display in Game 1
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Russell amassed 13 points (6-20 FG, 1-9 3Pt), three rebounds, three assists and two steals across 41 minutes during Saturday's 114-103 loss to Denver in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
The Lakers needed Russell to be at his best as a scoring threat, so his 6-for-20 outing from the field wasn't a pleasant sight for a Lakers team that cooled off as the game progressed. Russell ended with more field-goal attempts than points scored, and he needs to bounce back ahead of Game 2 on Monday.
Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Lands five triples in win
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Russell finished Tuesday's 110-106 Play-In Game victory over the Pelicans with 21 points (7-14 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six assists, one block and one steal over 37 minutes.
Russell was hot early, connecting on three of his five triples in the opening quarter. Although he did cool off, he was able to connect on a crucial three-pointer late in the piece, giving the Lakers a four-point lead with only seconds remaining. The Lakers will need Russell to stay hot should they hope to advance past the defending champion Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
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Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Struggles to find shot Friday
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Russell totaled four points (2-9 FG, 0-5 3Pt), three rebounds, 10 assists, one block and one steal in 35 minutes during Friday's 123-120 win over Memphis.
Russell's scoring output was tied for his second-lowest this season, and he failed to knock down a shot from three-point range for just the second time over his past 24 games. Since putting up 28 points on 11-for-17 shooting against Cleveland on April 6, the point guard has averaged just 11.0 points on 25.6 percent shooting over his subsequent three contests. On a positive note, Russell has dished double-digit assists in two of those games.
Russell posted 28 points (11-17 FG, 6-12 3Pt), five rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 31 minutes during Saturday's 116-97 victory over the Cavaliers.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James posted impressive performances in their own right, yet Russell carried the Lakers on offense by posting a team-high scoring tally. The Lakers will still go as far as the James and Davis duo can take them, but having Russell as a reliable scoring option should provide a big boost on offense too. Russell has scored 23 or more points in four of his last seven contests.
Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Drains seven threes in rout
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Russell finished Tuesday's 128-111 victory over the Raptors with 25 points (9-17 FG, 7-14 3Pt), two rebounds and seven assists across 33 minutes.
Aside from a rough performance last Friday in Indiana, Russell has been on fire from long range of late. The veteran guard has hit for at least three made three-pointers in seven of the last eight games and has averaged 20.6 points, 7.5 assists, 4.3 threes, 4.0 boards and 1.4 steals over that stretch while shooting 41.5 percent (34-for-82) from beyond the arc.
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Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Strong from deep in balanced game
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Russell tallied 18 points (6-12 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 2-4 FT), six assists, six rebounds and four steals over 32 minutes in Sunday's 116-104 win over Brooklyn.
Russell connected on a quartet of threes while handing out a team-high-tying assist total and leading all Lakers in steals while putting forth a well-rounded performance in a winning effort. Russell has swiped four or more steals in three games this season, last doing so March 4 against Oklahoma City. He has posted at least 15 points and five assists in two of his last five contests. Russell was strong on the glass in the win, having hauled in six or more boards in seven games.
Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Plays 50 minutes in comeback win
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Russell accumulated 29 points (7-22 FG, 5-12 3Pt, 10-10 FT), 12 assists, seven rebounds, two steals and one block across 50 minutes during Tuesday's 128-124 double-overtime win over the Bucks.
With LeBron James (ankle) sitting out and with the game requiring two overtime periods, Russell and Austin Reaves (48 minutes) took on huge workloads out of the backcourt. Though he struggled with his shot and didn't score his first points until midway through the second quarter, Russell played a key role in helping the Lakers come back from a fourth-quarter deficit that was as much as 17 points with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation. He drilled a pair of jumpers and hit a pair of free throws in the fourth quarter to help send the game to overtime, then hit two more game-tying free throws in the first overtime in addition to handing out three assists. With James expected back for Wednesday's game in Memphis, Russell will likely see a downturn in the 25.2 percent usage rate he handled Tuesday.
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Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Not listed on injury report
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Russell (illness) isn't listed on the Lakers' injury report ahead of Tuesday's game against the Bucks.
Russell missed Sunday's win over the Pacers due to an illness but will be back in action Tuesday. He could see increased usage versus the Bucks, as LeBron James (ankle) is listed as doubtful.
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Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Out sick
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Russell is out for Sunday's game against the Pacers due to a non-COVID illness, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
Russell was not originally listed on the injury report ahead of game time, but he will not be available for Sunday's bout due to an illness. Spencer Dinwiddie and Max Christie are leading candidates to see an expanded role without Russell.
Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: New franchise three-point king
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Russell finished Friday's 101-94 victory over Philadelphia with 14 points (4-13 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, three assists and one steal in 37 minutes.
The 28-year-old point guard set a new franchise record in the first quarter when he drained his 184th three-pointer of the season, breaking Nick Van Exel's mark from 1994-95. Russell has hit for multiple threes in 13 of 14 games since the All-Star break, a stretch in which he's averaged 20.0 points, 6.4 assists, 3.7 boards, 3.6 threes and 1.0 steals while shooting 44.0 percent from beyond the arc.
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Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Ties franchise three-point record
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Russell notched 27 points (8-14 FG, 6-10 3Pt, 5-5 FT), four rebounds, 10 assists and one steal across 30 minutes during Monday's 136-105 win over the Hawks.
Russell had his stroke working Monday, as he went 6-for-10 from beyond the arc, marking the seventh time this season he has drained at least six triples in a contest. The veteran point guard is up to 183 three-pointers on the campaign, tying him with Nick Van Exel for the franchise's all-time single-season record. Russell complemented his sharpshooting with 10 dimes against Atlanta, marking the second straight game in which he has reached double-digit assists after failing to do so in his previous 11 contests.
Russell recorded 23 points (9-21 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, 13 assists and one steal across 40 minutes during Saturday's 128-121 loss to the Warriors.
Russell didn't have his best shooting performance since he needed 21 shots to score 23 points, but he still posted a strong double-double after dazzling as a playmaker. Russell is currently going through one of the most productive stretches of the season, averaging 19.9 points, 6.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game since the All-Star break while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 42.7 percent from three-point range.
