D'Angelo Russell: 'I played with Kobe on his way out, and I’m playing with LeBron, who's at the tip of his prime'
How are LeBron James and Kobe Bryant similar and different from your experiences with both? D’Angelo Russell: I played with Kobe on his way out, and I’m playing with LeBron, who I still think is at the tip of his prime. Not his prime, but you get better the older you get in some cases. I feel like he’s still getting better in the sense of having to do more with less athleticism, obviously. It shows every aspect of his game, his shooting and post game. I got Kobe on the way out. The language he spoke was foreign to me at that time. I couldn’t relate to a lot of stuff that he was saying, but he would always talk to me about it as if I knew. The older I got, the stuff would click, and I’d say, “Dang, I remember him saying that.” Growing up a fan of LeBron, I was always searching for wisdom from him, asking him questions and trying to pick his brain on how I could be better. That’s how I was with Kobe. I wasn’t shy to ask questions ever. I always gravitated towards the ones people were scared to ask those questions. They both gave me very detailed orientated answers that allowed me to get better. When I was here earlier, we weren’t winning games. Now I’m here playing with LeBron, and we’re trying to win games. That’s a completely different thing on its own.
Source: HoopsHype
Source: HoopsHype
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Darvin Ham was asked if he wishes he went to this current starting lineup of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell earlier in the season given Rui’s success as a starter.
Here’s his response: pic.twitter.com/zLQqfaddhq – 11:37 PM
Darvin Ham was asked if he wishes he went to this current starting lineup of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell earlier in the season given Rui’s success as a starter.
Here’s his response: pic.twitter.com/zLQqfaddhq – 11:37 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Third quarter: Lakers 102, Grizzlies 92
LA led 98-71 late in the third. Memphis outscored them 21-4 over the final 4:00. This is a game again. Rui Hachimura has 26 points (five 3s) and 8 rebounds. LeBron has his fourth triple-double of the season: 16/11/10. DLo has 21 points. – 9:54 PM
Third quarter: Lakers 102, Grizzlies 92
LA led 98-71 late in the third. Memphis outscored them 21-4 over the final 4:00. This is a game again. Rui Hachimura has 26 points (five 3s) and 8 rebounds. LeBron has his fourth triple-double of the season: 16/11/10. DLo has 21 points. – 9:54 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
LA opens the third quarter with three 3s — two from Rui and one from DLo — to stretch their lead to 78-64 with 10:19 left in the frame. – 9:22 PM
LA opens the third quarter with three 3s — two from Rui and one from DLo — to stretch their lead to 78-64 with 10:19 left in the frame. – 9:22 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Halftime: Lakers 69, Grizzlies 61
LA outscored Memphis 32-25 in the second quarter. Rui has 16 points. LeBron has 13 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. AR has 7 points and 6 assists. Jaxson Hayes and DLo have 10 points each. LA is shooting 61% and is 14-17 at the FT line (82.4%). – 9:06 PM
Halftime: Lakers 69, Grizzlies 61
LA outscored Memphis 32-25 in the second quarter. Rui has 16 points. LeBron has 13 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. AR has 7 points and 6 assists. Jaxson Hayes and DLo have 10 points each. LA is shooting 61% and is 14-17 at the FT line (82.4%). – 9:06 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
D’Angelo Russell on free agency: ‘I’d love to be here and continue’ with Lakers
nbcsports.com/nba/news/dange… – 12:33 PM
D’Angelo Russell on free agency: ‘I’d love to be here and continue’ with Lakers
nbcsports.com/nba/news/dange… – 12:33 PM
Khobi Price @khobi_price
Final (2OT): Lakers 128, Bucks 124.
Lakers came back from down 19 in the 4Q to beat Milwaukee to start the six-game trip.
Anthony Davis: 34 points, 23 rebounds in 52 minutes. Austin Reaves: 29 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists. D’Angelo Russell: 29 points, 12 assists. – 10:41 PM
Final (2OT): Lakers 128, Bucks 124.
Lakers came back from down 19 in the 4Q to beat Milwaukee to start the six-game trip.
Anthony Davis: 34 points, 23 rebounds in 52 minutes. Austin Reaves: 29 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists. D’Angelo Russell: 29 points, 12 assists. – 10:41 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
DLo tonight:
1st half — 2nd half —
4 PTS 25 PTS
1 FG 6 FG
0 3P 5 3P pic.twitter.com/iv6G7i2KnF – 10:40 PM
DLo tonight:
1st half — 2nd half —
4 PTS 25 PTS
1 FG 6 FG
0 3P 5 3P pic.twitter.com/iv6G7i2KnF – 10:40 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Final: Lakers 128, Bucks 124 (2OT)
One of LA’s best wins of the season. They improve to 40-32 and 6-4 w/o LeBron this season. AD had 34 points and 23 rebounds. AR had 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. DLo had 29 points and 12 assists.
Up next: at MEM tomorrow. – 10:39 PM
Final: Lakers 128, Bucks 124 (2OT)
One of LA’s best wins of the season. They improve to 40-32 and 6-4 w/o LeBron this season. AD had 34 points and 23 rebounds. AR had 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. DLo had 29 points and 12 assists.
Up next: at MEM tomorrow. – 10:39 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
DLo makes both free throws. LA and Milwaukee are tied 117-117. Timeout Bucks with 3.1 seconds left. – 10:16 PM
DLo makes both free throws. LA and Milwaukee are tied 117-117. Timeout Bucks with 3.1 seconds left. – 10:16 PM
John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Odd for Lopez to cut into the play when Middleton had DLo in jail on the block. – 9:48 PM
Odd for Lopez to cut into the play when Middleton had DLo in jail on the block. – 9:48 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
DLo’s 3-pointer trims the deficit to 12 points, 94-82, with 6:56 left. Timeout Bucks. DLo is up to 23 points and 7 assists. – 9:35 PM
DLo’s 3-pointer trims the deficit to 12 points, 94-82, with 6:56 left. Timeout Bucks. DLo is up to 23 points and 7 assists. – 9:35 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Third quarter: Bucks 88, Lakers 74
LA has struggled to close the last two quarters. AD has 18 points (on just 7-of-23 FGs) and 16 rebounds. DLo has 18 points and 7 assists. Austin Reaves has 13/6/5. Turnovers (10-7) and pace (20-2 edge in fastbreak points) have gone MIL’s way. – 9:19 PM
Third quarter: Bucks 88, Lakers 74
LA has struggled to close the last two quarters. AD has 18 points (on just 7-of-23 FGs) and 16 rebounds. DLo has 18 points and 7 assists. Austin Reaves has 13/6/5. Turnovers (10-7) and pace (20-2 edge in fastbreak points) have gone MIL’s way. – 9:19 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Halftime: Bucks 58, Lakers 42
LA trailed by six points midway through the second quarter but was outscored 17-7 over the final 5:18. AD has 12 points (4-13 FGs, 4-4 FTs) and 9 rebounds. Rui Hachimura has 12 points and 5 rebounds. AR/DLo/Spencer are a combined 3 of 16 (18.8%). – 8:35 PM
Halftime: Bucks 58, Lakers 42
LA trailed by six points midway through the second quarter but was outscored 17-7 over the final 5:18. AD has 12 points (4-13 FGs, 4-4 FTs) and 9 rebounds. Rui Hachimura has 12 points and 5 rebounds. AR/DLo/Spencer are a combined 3 of 16 (18.8%). – 8:35 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
First quarter: Bucks 32, Lakers 16
LA is shooting 28% and is 0 of 6 on 3s. AD has 8 points and 4 rebounds. LA is struggling to get downhill and finish over the Bucks’ length. AR/DLo/Spencer are a combined 1-of-10. The ball isn’t pinging around how it normally does w/o LeBron. – 8:06 PM
First quarter: Bucks 32, Lakers 16
LA is shooting 28% and is 0 of 6 on 3s. AD has 8 points and 4 rebounds. LA is struggling to get downhill and finish over the Bucks’ length. AR/DLo/Spencer are a combined 1-of-10. The ball isn’t pinging around how it normally does w/o LeBron. – 8:06 PM
More on this storyline
Has the birth of Riley and your flow state of mind helped you the past two years? Last year, I was talking to my brother, Tone, and I’m shooting the best numbers I’ve ever shot, and it’s like no one talks about that. That’s what you work towards. People are so analytical nowadays. You work to get to that. Then, I got to it, and it didn’t seem like it was valued. I was like, “Dang, I feel like I could shoot better than that.” This year, I’m shooting career highs again. I’m like, maybe that is tied to the birth of Riley and being a dad. I put the work in. When I broke the record (Lakers single-season 3-pointers made), a lot of my closest people texted me with super sincere messages, and they all had the same common denominator saying, “You put the work in.” That made me smile even more because people around me know how hard I work and how I approach the game. -via HoopsHype / March 28, 2024
How did you and Austin Reaves form your bromance? D’Angelo Russell: I think we both honestly were caught in the pickle of how to play next to these guys. You have LeBron, Anthony Davis, and this Lakers whirlwind kind of haunting you always, good or bad, because you’ll be trending for something. When I got here, he was that fresh fruit that was kind of that golden child. I remember being that and going through the ups and downs. I always tried to take pride in preparing him for what was about to come next if I could and help him see what he was going through. We became fans of each other. I said, “You’re going to be here a long time, bro. You might as well take all this in.” I was preparing his mind for all of that. He had a heck of a summer and came in ready to continue to dominate the game. -via HoopsHype / March 28, 2024
How would you describe this Lakers season? D’Angelo Russell: I think we’re much better than our record. We match up, adjust, and do all these different things in the flow of the game. The problem is we’ve got 12 different guys that can be out there. When that random group of five is out there, the familiarity with what we’re trying to do is on the fly. A lot of teams have five or six guys that know they’re always going to have an idea who’s going to be in and where’s this and that. We’ve got a new guy every game because there’s no telling who’s going to be out there because of injuries and other things. It’s a good problem to have. I think that’s why we utilize 82 games a year to prepare for the postseason. So I definitely think we’re better than our record, and we’re still trying to figure it out and hitting our stride. I like where we’re at. -via HoopsHype / March 28, 2024