Lakers starting point guard D’Angelo Russell, reacquired by Los Angeles at the trade deadline, has had an underwhelming first postseason with L.A. to this point, but the team is hopeful he can turn that around posthaste, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times.
Broderick notes that Russell is connecting on an abysmal 32.1% of his field goals and 28.6% of his triples so far, while averaging 12.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 5.5 RPG, and 0.5 SPG.
“It’s a make-or-miss league,” head coach Darvin Ham noted. “Sometimes you’re on. Sometimes you’re not. We’re just hopeful he’ll be on Saturday.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Reserve big man Tristan Thompson appreciates that he was added on the last day of the regular season to essentially be another locker room voice and positive influence on his new teammates, as he told Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “If I help them become one percent better, it helps our team be better,” Thompson noted. “And that’s part of my role being here, is how can I help this team get one percent better?”
- All-Star forward LeBron James has been dismissive of Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks‘ recent postgame smack-talking, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’m not here for the bulls—,” James said following a team practice yesterday. “I’m ready to play and that’s it.” Following Memphis’ 103-93 Wednesday victory over L.A. to even their series at 1-1, Brooks held little back in his comments to gathered media, calling James “old” while opining that the 38-year-old was no longer his peak self.
- In case you missed it, Grizzlies All-Star point guard Ja Morant was sidelined for the second game of Memphis’ series against L.A., and remains questionable ahead of Game 3 tonight.
Brooks only talks when the Grizzlies win. That is a sign of a bandwagoner. talk when you lose and admit you failed is when you are a good player.
Dillon Brooks owns the Warriors. “Admit you failed?” That is not how it works hun lol. His game is to get under your skin and boy is it working!
Yeah Brooks is another Draymond…
They both make Pat Bev look like a sane and well behaved man…
They lack the skill to compete on that level alone so resort to any tactic they think will help them make a difference…
I like Lebron’s comment. It is more smack than what Brooks said. Well played.
Brooks just comes off as a sore winner…
Someone who talks only when they win…