Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
If D’Angelo Russell can sustain his recent performance for the next two months, the Los Angeles Lakers might be dangerous in the Western Conference playoff race.
Russell dropped a 30 points in the Lakers’ 139-122 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. He shot 9-of-19 overall and made six of the team’s 14 three-pointers.
This was Russell’s fourth 30-point game of the season, with three of them coming in 14 games he’s played since Jan. 13.
It was a historic night for the entire Lakers’ starting unit. All five players scored at least 20 points, making them the first team to accomplish that since 1993. It’s the first time the Lakers have done it since Nov. 4, 1984.
StatMuse @statmuse
Lakers starters scoring tonight:
30 — D’Lo
27 — Reaves
21 — LeBron
21 — Rui
20 — Davis
1st team to have all 5 starters score 20 or more points since 1993. pic.twitter.com/oIrpDes4y5
One of the main criticisms of the Lakers throughout this season has been their inability to make shots from three-point range. They rank at the bottom of the league in three-point attempts per game (30.6), 29th in makes per game (11.3) and 15th in success rate (36.8 percent).
Russell is doing everything in his power to change that narrative. It has led to a lot of praise for the 27-year-old, who has become one of the most important players on the team after being the subject of trade rumors leading up to the deadline.
Lakers Daily @LakersDailyCom
“He is the key. … He does have that Steph Curry effect when he’s hot. … We’re 0-5 without him. That’s not by accident. … Every team needs that person, and he’s been that guy.”
– James Worth on D’Angelo Russell
Trevor Lane @Trevor_Lane
Maybe it wasn’t just a deadline thing for D’Angelo Russell
LakeShowYo @LakeShowYo
D’Angelo Russell pic.twitter.com/IiqqnfvZao
Harrison Faigen @hmfaigen
Having D’Angelo Russell on your favorite team is awesome because every day is an adventure. Sometimes he’ll be like “yeah I mean they don’t pay me to play defense” and make the fanbase want to drive him to the airport, and then other days he turns into Steph for five minutes.
Lakers Nation @LakersNation
D’ANGELO RUSSELL IS A LAKER
Camden @Camden_Cash
D’Angelo Russell is a different player when he’s in a featured role. The heaters come more often. The playmaking opens up more because he’s scoring the basketball. Have to keep running offense through him. That’s the best version of D-Lo.
Russell’s brilliant shooting performance and the overall success from the starting unit against the Pelicans overshadowed another strong game from LeBron James. The 20-time All-Star finished with 21 points and 14 assists in 38 minutes.
This was the 12th straight game James has scored at least 20 points. The 14 assists tied his season-high, previously done on Dec. 15 against the San Antonio Spurs.
StatMamba @StatMamba
Most games with 20+ PTS and 10+ AST after turning 35 years old:
44 — LeBron James
44 — Steve Nash
20 — Chris Paul pic.twitter.com/dKhw0bxjc3
When watching the Lakers put together a performance like they had on Friday night, it’s not hard to figure out why this team has been so polarizing all season.
Anthony F. Irwin @AnthonyIrwinLA
So the Lakers just pushed the Nuggets in a game to the last few possessions and beat the brakes off the Pelicans shortly after beating the Celtics and Knicks but sure yeah this team wasn’t worth investing into even for marginal improvement.
Dan Favale @danfavale
“explain the 2023-24 lakers” pic.twitter.com/XZQRJXna0J
There are ways to convince yourself this is actually one of the best teams in the Western Conference on any given night, but there are plenty of moments when it looks like they are completely inept in at least one facet of the game.
When you combine those two things together, it makes perfect sense why the Lakers have been hovering around .500 for most of the season.
Another reason this might not be the best game to make any sweeping judgements for the Lakers is because of the opponent. It can be argued the two worst Pelicans’ games this season have come against Los Angeles.
The 139 points allowed on Friday night were the second-most given up by the Pelicans this season. Their worst loss of the season was the 44-point shellacking against the Lakers in the in-season tournament semifinals.
Things do line up for the Lakers to stack up some wins going into and coming out of the All-Star break. The next four games on their schedule include matchups with the Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs before back-to-back games against the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 25 and Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 28.
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