Lakers News: D’Angelo Russell doesn’t mind bench role
The Los Angeles Lakers are in desperate need of a win after losing four straight, and they did just that on Saturday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder were the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, but the Lakers took over early and ended up winning 129-120, ending a disappointing showing. LeBron James was the star of the night, scoring a game-high 40 points, but the biggest takeaway was the change in the starting lineup, with Jared Vanderbilt starting in place of D’Angelo Russell.
Russell has struggled in recent weeks, and head coach Darwin Hamm ultimately made the decision to bench him. Russell answered with 15 points, and when asked after the game via Spectrum Sportsnet if he was on the bench, he said he was only concerned about winning.
“Obviously we changed our lineup and the result was a win, so that’s what it’s all about for me. I’m finding a way to make an impact and bring energy every time I step on the field. First up is another monster. You play against starting units, you play against scout rates, you play against a lot of things like that.
When you leave (as a reserve), you have to pick up where the starter left off until the game or whatever, so find a way to find some kind of advantage later on.
Russell also believes he, Austin Reeves and Rui Hachimura can make an impact as a trio off the bench.
“It’s great. I think what we lacked in our game before we got on the field, we’ll make up for when Coach Ham makes the changes he makes to this group.” So it will be interesting to see what you can do with it.
The main reason Los Angeles beat Oklahoma City was their exceptional shooting from the field, but there’s some confidence in the new starting lineup because of the increased versatility on defense. On the other hand, Russell can play on the opponent’s bench, giving him a little more freedom on offense.
It’s only been one game, but so far the move to the bench seems to be working for Russell and the Lakers. Let’s hope this holds out until Los Angeles takes on the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day. D’Angelo Russell explains how Lakers will make up for losses
Another reason the Lakers beat the Thunder was their ability to take care of the basketball. Los Angeles only committed nine turnovers, which is an impressive number considering how sloppy they’ve been lately. Russell has already acknowledged that his team’s unforced errors add up, but his team was much better in that regard against Oklahoma City.
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