Lakers Update: D’Angelo Russell Acknowledges he is Responsible for Recent Performance Struggles
In Thursday night’s game, with LeBron James sidelined, the Los Angeles Lakers heavily relied on Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell to carry the offensive load and facilitate for their teammates. Although Reaves delivered another impressive performance, Russell, for the most part, struggled.
Despite a strong fourth quarter where he led the Lakers with 13 points, Russell had a challenging time in the first three quarters, shooting just 2-of-11 from the field. While his overall stat line of 17 points and eight assists may seem respectable, the fact that he needed 19 shots to achieve it highlighted his inefficiency on that particular night.
Russell himself acknowledges that his performance was subpar and emphasizes the need for personal improvement to contribute to Lakers’ victories, as he expressed in an interview with Spectrum SportsNet:
“I just got to be better, obviously. Just finding a way to be better. No excuse for that. It was good to see some go in but obviously we want the win to be the result. Just got to play better, it happens.”
Despite struggling offensively, Russell did make an effort on the defensive end, finishing the game with two steals and three blocks. While he continues to prioritize defensive contributions, Russell recognizes that his primary role on the Lakers is to score:
“I have an idea. When I’m not making shots and things like that, it’s not relevant to our success. We need guys that are going to make shots. We need guys that are going to get stops. And if I’m not making shots, they’re going to depend on me just to get a stop. That’s where I work, that’s where I try to be better, but it’s not what I do. Doing that is an extra, and it’s where my focus is, but knowing what I do, that’s something that I know as well.”
December has proven to be a challenging month for Russell, averaging just 9.8 points on 37.5% shooting and 27.5% from 3-point range in eight regular season games. While his effort is commendable, the Lakers are in need of a more impactful performance from Russell, and he is fully aware of this responsibility.
