Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James elaborated on D’Angelo Russell’s vital role in helping the team stay afloat this season, during a recent interview with ESPN.
“I think he has the ability to do whatever the team needs, especially offensively,” James said about Russell’s impact. “That’s what’s special about him. He can adapt to whatever the game calls for. But when D-Lo is at his best, he’s in attack mode.”
According to a few NBA betting sites, the Lakers hold eighth-shortest odds to win the championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers.
D’Angelo Russell WENT OFF for 44 PTS and scored the game-winner to give the Lakers the edge over the Bucks!
🔥 44 PTS
🔥 9 3PM
🔥 9 AST
🔥 6 REB▪️ Russell joins LeBron James and Kobe Bryant as the only players in Laker history with 9 3PM in a game pic.twitter.com/HYC2LQOGVx
— NBA (@NBA) March 9, 2024
Russell’s name was mentioned in a number of NBA trade rumors ahead of this season’s deadline. However, the gossip didn’t discourage the nine-year veteran. James took note of it.
“It takes a strong individual, especially when you’re hearing everything that goes around,” James added. “You’re hearing the trade talks, you’re hearing this and that and whatever the case may be and ‘Is D-Lo the right fit?’ or whatever. One thing is, he just don’t waver.
“We never gave up on him, either. Even when he went to the bench, we just still wanted to instill confidence in him because we knew we were going to need him. We need his ability — his uncanny ability — to rack up points in a bundle very fast.”
LeBron James praises D’Angelo Russell, who is on pace to become first Laker to make 200 3s in a season
D’Angelo Russell, 28, recorded a career-high 44 points on 17-of-25 (68%) shooting from the field and 9-of-12 (75%) from 3-point range in Friday night’s 123-122 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 2019 All-Star scored 21 of his career-best 44 points in the fourth quarter and hit a go-ahead jumper with 5.9 seconds to play. He also added six rebounds, nine assists, and a block in 38 minutes of action.
His nine 3-pointers matched his career high. Russell also joined Kobe Bryant (12 made on Jan. 7, 2003) and James (nine made on Jan. 24, 2023) as the only players in Lakers history to make nine or more 3s in a game.
In February 2017, he became the first Laker with at least 15 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists in back-to-back games since Bryant in 2013. This was months before Los Angeles traded him to the Brooklyn Nets.
D’Angelo Russell is the first Laker with at least 15 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists in back-to-back games since Kobe Bryant in 2013. https://t.co/nVbr2oxuYN
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 3, 2017
Through 61 games (54 starts) this season, Russell is averaging 18 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 31.9 minutes per game while shooting 47.1% from the field and a career-best 42.4% from downtown.
Moreover, Russell is currently on pace to become the first Lakers player to make 200 3-pointers in a single season. Over halfway through the season, he has made 173 3-pointers on 408 attempts.
Nick Van Excel holds the Lakers’ franchise record with 183 3-pointers, set in the 1994-95 season. Bryant is second with 180 3s in 2005-06, followed by Excel again (177 in 1996-97) and Chucky Atkins (176 in 2004-05).
With only six games remaining of the regular season, the Lakers remain six games above .500 and sit ninth in the Western Conference standings.
LeBron James recently became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 career points.
