The Los Angeles Lakers began the final series of the Western Conference with a defeat against the Denver Nuggets. Apparently, LA has been losing their first games to make a promising comeback in all the previous series. However, they are facing one of the best attacking teams in their conference this time. And it will be an exciting clash because the Lakers are one of the best defenders in the league. They are ruthless at the back with Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Lonnie Walker with his newfound form.
In Game 1 against the Nuggets, the Lakers stopped the mighty Nuggets to 26 points in the first quarter, their lowest in the season. This displays their gun power in the defensive line to stop the best team on their table. But despite their best efforts, the purple and gold army could not close the gap. They put up a solid fight to edge over their opponents, but the 5 points became the difference between the two sides. The Lakers lost the game with a 126-132 scoreline in game 1 of the finals series. Moreover, the point guard of the team, D’Angelo Russell, is still struggling to put up a consistent performance. Keep reading to know more about Russell’s situation.
The Lakers Point Guard is Not Up To The Mark
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Russell would not like the upcoming changes that the team would want to make. Apparently, the lack of DLo’s performance is causing a menace in the Lakers lineups. As a result, he could have his role minimized if he does not improve his offensive abilities. Russell is putting up numbers that can make Darvin Ham think about his placement on the bench. The head coach would like to give his time and role to Rui Hachimura, who has proven his abilities on the court.
D’Angelo Russell has shown signs of struggle which makes one think about whether he can fit into the team. The 26-year-old has not been very impressive in the last few outings for the team in the postseason. Offensively he has been disappointing as he only scored eight points with three assists in 26 minutes against the Nuggets. His shooting was incredibly frustrating as he missed all his shots outside the curve. Therefore this can affect his time on the court if Ham would not like his performance.
Bruce Brown Comments On The Russell’s Weakness
"Just making it tough on him on the defensive end… On the offensive end, just going at him. He's not the best defender, but he definitely tries."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 17, 2023
Bruce Brown on how the Nuggets took D'Angelo Russell out of Game 1.
(via @VidaVivaDiva) pic.twitter.com/NHiiI1bZuq
Seemingly, the Denver Nuggets power forward had a lot to say about their game in the post-match conference. And one major topic of his interview was DLo, who struggled to find his rhythm on the court. According to Bruce Brown, Russell could not defend as well as he has offensive abilities. And this is where they hit the hardest to pick on the Lakers.
Moreover, the Nuggets also had a plan to stop Russell offensively, resulting in a low-impact game for the point guard. Brown said they decided to go much further instead of defending him just on the half-court. The Nuggets wanted to neutralize his threat from the point he received the ball with constant pressure. And they were successful in limiting him and keeping him quiet.
