The Los Angeles Lakers are once again at the precipice of a .500 record. This time, they beat the Phoenix Suns, with big games coming from Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell to close down the gap to the 9th spot. A team they haven’t beaten in 9 attempts, Phoenix finally succumbed to the Lakers, albeit they had 2 of their best players out.
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Not just that, Laker sophomore Austin Reaves drew MVP chants in the first half, and Skip Bayless was amused. The “Big 3” all scored 25 or more points, with AD and D-Lo scoring 27 and 26 respectively. That was not all they contributed to the game, and AD was asked about Russell’s contributions, post-game.
He had nothing but praise for the prodigal son, highlighting his key areas of playmaking and shot selection. Davis was happy to have him on the team and said the presence of Russell freed up off-the-ball movements for the others. He also pointed out that with Schroeder on the floor, the guard tandem worked well.
“A Lot” was the best way anyone could summarize what D’Angelo Russell brought to the table.
.@AntDavis23 (27 PTS, 9 REB) spoke post-game about what D’Angelo Russell brings to the team, tonight’s win, and the starting lineup. pic.twitter.com/kbtdKGQ9o3
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 23, 2023
Anthony Davis must have read the comments against him on the internet – he’s back to playing at an MVP level!
It’s not just D-Lo who’s been contributing a lot. It’s everyone playing off each other’s strengths. When Russell has the ball, it frees up the others to showcase theirs off the ball game. It gives the Lakers a multi-faceted attack that is unpredictable.
AD has been back to his November best after a two-game slip-up. He’s back to being free, and if he stays injury free, it’s a lock for the play-ins. As a Laker fan, you could even dream of a locked-in playoff spot.
With LeBron James on the team, it was more often than not an attack would begin and end with Bron at the helm. Now, it is much more than that. Russell gets to showcase his talents as a point guard and his shooting abilities with Schroeder around him.
The Lakers seem to be much more of a unit without LeBron playing. That doesn’t mean they don’t need their stalwart – he still is the sledgehammer to drive the final nail in the coffin.
D’Angelo Russell has been a godsend for the Lakers
Missing a few games with a niggling injury he picked up during his early games, D’Angelo came back like he never missed a beat. Not just as a player, but as a Laker. His team chemistry with everyone on the floor seems to have been built on years of playing with them, not just a few games.
Russell may have left with petulance but has returned with maturity. He’s much more in control of his emotions and game. He plays so smoothly, and it is fun to watch him shoot. Those few months with Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry seemed to have rubbed off on him.
His namesake Russell Westbrook may have struggled, but D-Lo, not so much. D’Angelo Russell seems to be enjoying it as of now, and would highly please the fans if he stayed beyond this season.
