Caught at the entrance of Game 1 by the Nuggets, the Lakers were notably victims of their “small ball” tactics, with the presence of three playmakers/backs in their five: Austin Reaves, Dennis Schröder and D’Angelo Russell. That’s what surprised Steve Kerr and worked in Game 6 against the Warriors.
If the first two have also shown good things, in the fourth quarter for example, this was not the case for the third, in difficulty throughout the game. ” We did a great job on him, so much so that he didn’t even play much in the second half », welcomed afterwards Michael Malone, the opposing coach.
Author of only 8 points and 3 assists in 26 minutes, at 4/11 in shooting (including 0/3 at 3-points) and with a differential of -25, “D-Lo” has indeed failed in beauty against Denver, also taking the water in front of Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope or Bruce Brown. As Game 2 approaches, we can therefore expect that Los Angeles makes adjustments to try to equalize in this conference final.
The risk of mentally weighing down D’Angelo Russell
One of them could precisely concern D’Angelo Russell, glued to the bench during the whole last act in Game 1, when the Lakers began to take the measure of the Nuggets, with Austin Reaves, Dennis Schröder, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James and Anthony Davis lined up on the court together.
So, Darvin Ham Will he dare to dismiss the All-Star (2019) from his starting five, in order to name him as a replacement? According to ESPNthere would currently be doubts in the Californian camp, since we especially do not want to take the risk of sinking the 27-year-old player, even if it means losing him mentally for the rest of the playoffs if he were not to take this choice as a simple tactical adjustment, but rather as a demotion.
Even if Rui Hachimura is not promoted to starter, D’Angelo Russell is determined to bounce back on the Lakers side, because we saw him return to the Ball Arena floor after Game 1, for an improvised shooting session…
| D’Angelo Russell | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2015-16 | ALL | 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 | ALL | 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 | 0.3 | 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 | 0.3 | 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 * | ALL | 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 |
| Total | 495 | 30 | 42.6 | 36.2 | 78.8 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 5.7 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 17.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
