Thought Starter.: D’Angelo Russell is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons...
One guy who needs a major bounceback game tonight against the Sixers? D’Angelo Russell, who sat the last 17 minutes of Wednesday’s loss because in the words of JJ Redick, he didn’t have the needed level of “compete,” and “attention to detail.” Things the staff has apparently been harping on with him for a couple of weeks. So he sat. Redick said they’ve been talking about this stuff for a couple of weeks, which is interesting because it shows these issues aren’t isolated to a single game. (And it’s the first time he’s lit into a player in pretty pointed ways, period.) And to this point, Redick has been been nothing but complimentary towards Russell.
We’ll see what happens. Russell is part of a network of problems the team is dealing with right now, from injuries to a completely anemic bench. D’Lo is doing some things well, but the offense—and therefore the team—isn’t built to withstand 37.5% from the floor, and under 30% from beyond the arc. The Lakers need more from Russell. D’Lo’s career numbers say a rebound is coming. He’s simply too good a shooter to be this bad for too long. But he needs to be more attentive, too, and this perhaps is one way to help get him there.
Three Questions...
1. Can the Lakers get a decent performance from the bench, now that they’re back at home?
2. Anthony Davis reportedly has plantar fasciitis Is this going to be a season-long issue?
3. What did an early look into the team’s development program reveal?
