D’Angelo Russell owned up to his shooting struggles amid the Lakers’ losing streak.
Russell entered the month of December averaging 17.6 points and 6.6 assists. He was shooting 49.1% from the field and 41.8% from 3. All things considered, he had been one of the Lakers’ most consistent players through 20 games.
In nine December games? 8.7 points, 5.1 assists, 40% shooting, and 26.5% from 3.
Those numbers are bolstered by his contributions in the Lakers’ 1118-111 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday—the team’s fourth straight loss and fifth in the last six games.
“I just gotta be better,” Russell said. “There’s no excuse for that. It’s good to see some go in, but, obviously, we want the win to be the result. You just have to play better. It happens.”
If your glass of eggnog is half full, you’ll note that Russell finally found the stroke at the Target Center. Russell’s 13 fourth-quarter points (on 5-of-7 shooting) helped the undermanned Lakers hang with the top-seeded T-Wolves into crunch time. DLo tallied eight assists, four rebounds, two steals, and three blocks, as well.
But Russell, coming off a two-point, 1-for-6 showing vs. the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, had four points on 2-for-7 shooting and four turnovers through three quarters (the Lakers had 18 turnovers, a lingering problem).
As has been the case as of late, he was rarely in attack mode. It’s just not enough production nor intensity—against his former squad, no less—when his team is mired in a skid, on the second leg of a back-t0-back and with LeBron James wearing a beanie on the bench.
“I thought we had a chance the whole time,” Russell said. We didn’t play great, I guess. We missed a few assignments … a lot of’my bads’ from each individual guy, including myself. So it kind of adds up.”
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