Originally published by LakersNation.com
The injury bug seems to love the Los Angeles Lakers as the team is dealing with multiple ailments on the roster, most recently to D’Angelo Russell.
After taking a charge in the third quarter of the Dec. 30 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Russell took a hard fall and was forced out of the game with what the Lakers called a tailbone contusion. He was then subsequently ruled out for the games against the New Orleans Pelicans and most recently the Miami Heat, both of which were disappointing losses.
Before losing to Miami, Darvin Ham said Russell is dealing with some soreness and is considered day-to-day.
“There’s a little bit of a contusion there so there’s some soreness he’s trying to work through,” Ham said. “He’s also day-to-day.”
A contusion shouldn’t keep Russell out of the lineup for too long, though the team’s depth is being heavily tested with several role guys out. For example, Ham decided to throw out Jalen Hood-Schifino in the second quarter against the Heat, but the rookie floundered and was benched for the rest of the night.
L.A. has also been without another ball-handler in Gabe Vincent for essentially the whole season, and versatile wing Rui Hachimura has also missed a handful of games due to various ailments, most recently a calf strain.
The lack of playmaking and ball-handling when Russell is unavailable is hard to miss, and even though Ham finally started Austin Reaves against Miami, it wasn’t enough to spruce up the offense. Russell has drawn a lot of criticism for his recent play, but he’s still a capable outside shooter and passer who can help solve the Lakers’ offensive woes.
With Los Angeles set to play the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, it remains to be seen if Russell will be able to suit up. Memphis has been playing better basketball as of late since Ja Morant returned to the lineup, and having someone like Russell out there would help provide some much-needed spacing.
The purple and gold need all the help they can get in order to climb above .500 again, so hopefully Russell is able to return sooner rather than later.
Anthony Davis says Lakers must communicate better defensively
Outside of injuries, the Laker defense has also declined in recent weeks though Anthony Davis has been as outstanding as ever on that end. While Davis can clean up mistakes, he emphasized that the team as a whole has to be better about communicating on defense.
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The injury bug seems to love the Los Angeles Lakers as the team is dealing with multiple ailments on the roster, most recently to D’Angelo Russell.
After taking a charge in the third quarter of the Dec. 30 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Russell took a hard fall and was forced out of the game with what the Lakers called a tailbone contusion. He was then subsequently ruled out for the games against the New Orleans Pelicans and most recently the Miami Heat, both of which were disappointing losses.
Before losing to Miami, Darvin Ham said Russell is dealing with some soreness and is considered day-to-day.
“There’s a little bit of a contusion there so there’s some soreness he’s trying to work through,” Ham said. “He’s also day-to-day.”
A contusion shouldn’t keep Russell out of the lineup for too long, though the team’s depth is being heavily tested with several role guys out. For example, Ham decided to throw out Jalen Hood-Schifino in the second quarter against the Heat, but the rookie floundered and was benched for the rest of the night.
L.A. has also been without another ball-handler in Gabe Vincent for essentially the whole season, and versatile wing Rui Hachimura has also missed a handful of games due to various ailments, most recently a calf strain.
The lack of playmaking and ball-handling when Russell is unavailable is hard to miss, and even though Ham finally started Austin Reaves against Miami, it wasn’t enough to spruce up the offense. Russell has drawn a lot of criticism for his recent play, but he’s still a capable outside shooter and passer who can help solve the Lakers’ offensive woes.
With Los Angeles set to play the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, it remains to be seen if Russell will be able to suit up. Memphis has been playing better basketball as of late since Ja Morant returned to the lineup, and having someone like Russell out there would help provide some much-needed spacing.
The purple and gold need all the help they can get in order to climb above .500 again, so hopefully Russell is able to return sooner rather than later.
Anthony Davis says Lakers must communicate better defensively
Outside of injuries, the Laker defense has also declined in recent weeks though Anthony Davis has been as outstanding as ever on that end. While Davis can clean up mistakes, he emphasized that the team as a whole has to be better about communicating on defense.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!