We hadn't seen him at such a party yet this season. Against the Blazers last night, D'Angelo Russell showed his best face when the Lakers needed it most.
Despite the combined absences of LeBron James and Austin Reaves, the playmaker once again came off the Californian bench, as was the case most of the time in November, before returning to the five at the beginning of December, then coming out…
As soon as he came into play, he brought his creative qualities, which the five displayed with Gabe Vincent and Max Christie could have been lacking. His complicity with Anthony Davis as well as Rui Hachimura, in transition or on the “pick-and-roll”, was quickly felt.
As JJ Redick said after the matchthere ” half court shot creation » was wanted by the Lakers, and « having another ball carrier on the field ”, like D’Angelo Russell, helped in this sense.
“(The Blazers) have young guys who are really trying to put the pressure on. (Toumani) Camara is like Dyson Daniels, guys who try to break your rhythm on offense. Rui in the second quarter was great. D-Lo had… a great match, AD was fantastic », Lists the coach.
In control in the fourth quarter
All three men finished with 23 points or more. If “AD” released his usual interior work (30 points and 11 rebounds), the replacement leader, like Rui Hachimura, evolved above his standards over the season.
In the fourth quarter, when the visitors had recovered, his hold on the match took on another dimension. An inside pass to Rui Hachimura, a floater in the racket, another ball delivered to the Japanese, then a step-back behind the arc, a laser pass to a forgotten Christian Koloko on the baseline, another shot rainbow from afar…
The first nine baskets of his formation in this period were initiated by the leader, either in “scoring” or in creation. Result: he had his best game of the year by far: 28 points (9/17 on shots including 5/10 from afar), 14 assists, 5 rebounds (and + 29 on the floor) for 37 rating in 34 minutes.
“ You have to adapt during the season with what works for the group and for different players. I would say that night after night, LeBron and AD are going to have the ball. The attack will go through them. The others are really talented, they will have their evenings. We have to be open to the idea of mixing things up », notes JJ Redick without dwelling much on the exit of his leader.
The latter did not appear before the press.
| D'Angelo Russell | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2015-16 | LAL | 80 | 28 | 41.0 | 35.1 | 73.7 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 13.2 |
| 2016-17 | LAL | 63 | 29 | 40.5 | 35.2 | 78.2 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 15.6 |
| 2017-18 | BRK | 48 | 26 | 41.4 | 32.4 | 74.0 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 15.5 |
| 2018-19 | BRK | 81 | 30 | 43.4 | 36.9 | 78.0 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 7.0 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 21.1 |
| 2019-20 * | All Teams | 45 | 32 | 42.6 | 36.7 | 80.9 | 0.4 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 6.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 23.1 |
| 2019-20 * | GOS | 33 | 32 | 43.0 | 37.4 | 78.5 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 6.2 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 23.6 |
| 2019-20 * | MIN | 12 | 33 | 41.2 | 34.5 | 87.3 | 0.2 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 6.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 3.8 | 0.3 | 21.7 |
| 2020-21 | MIN | 42 | 29 | 43.1 | 38.7 | 76.5 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 5.8 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 19.0 |
| 2021-22 | MIN | 65 | 32 | 41.1 | 34.0 | 82.5 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 7.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 18.1 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 71 | 33 | 46.9 | 39.6 | 82.9 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 17.8 |
| 2022-23 * | MIN | 54 | 33 | 46.5 | 39.1 | 85.6 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 17.9 |
| 2022-23 * | LAL | 17 | 31 | 48.4 | 41.4 | 73.5 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 6.1 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 17.4 |
| 2023-24 | LAL | 76 | 33 | 45.6 | 41.5 | 82.8 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 6.3 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 18.0 |
| 2024-25 | LAL | 22 | 27 | 41.5 | 33.1 | 87.2 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 4.7 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 12.2 |
| Total | 593 | 30 | 42.9 | 36.8 | 79.4 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 5.7 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 17.5 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
