D'Angelo Russell Discussion: Adopting A Professional Attitude

1 possession? Is that what we're going by? If Williams wasn't jacking up shots, I seen a kid who played relatively decent defense (one of the only people) and wanted to play team ball when Williams and Young weren't freaking chucking the whole time. Did he have a great game? Nope. He was okay. As other poster pointed out, 'he misread some pick in rolls and his passes weren't as clean as the first game.'

He's the least of my concerns. Trust me.

 

All coaches need is one thing to keep driving things home. That's not an insult for anyone on either side. He has a long ways to go.

 

I'm sure you were thinking it because it's clearly a great thing to do. But you didn't actually mention his name again .... only reason I wanted clarification.

Yeah I think if you put Clarkson on the speedy 1 guards for defense and then Russell is hopefully, maybe less getting beat by the 2 guards, that I want to see our best players on the floor with Russell at least a good per cent of the time. This is why we have Huertas, as well I'm sure was the thinking. Better players, especially Kobe, with him out there while under pressure this early in his career ...... will be excellent to his development ........and those teammates will be able to better handle those "you better be looking it's coming your way passes" .......and Kobe as well will find him on Russell's own great movements like he and Kobe are already showing.

 

Sure, but it shouldn't negate his overall defensive effort . Highlight the positive and the things he can improve on.

In fact, our coaching and our team has a long way too go.

 

I admire that you remain positive after last nights game. I was looking forward to the game, and it fell far short of expectations.

 

I remain confident in management, our young core, and that is about does it. I don't think D'Angelo, Clarkson, or Randle are going to be used optimally this season.

 

Of course did not stick around to watch the post game stuff. Interesting and yeah, maybe mini shot fired and truth being told. I do hope he plays more minutes overall with the A squad than the 2nd string. We've got Euro Steve Nash for that. I think. It's been rumored. They've showed him in practice anyway. Could be a diversion.

:magicsmile:

 

If he's better suited for the 1st unit, prove it. Make it impossible for them NOT to put you on the floor. Don't snivel like a little biotch about it.

 

:ShaqOh:

 

sirron has a point. if he's really taking that attitude, i hope the coaches and vets nip it in the bud. that said, i'm not sure he got a fair run with the starting unit. brown's been given more latitude, which doesn't make much sense for several reasons.

 

This is fair. Nevertheless, I don't think Russell meant it that way at all. He's confused about his role coming off the bench as opposed to playing with the starters who he's been scrimmaging and building chemistry .

It doesn't help when Lou and Nick are in the same unit with him or even just one of them in a system that perpetuates isolation pays once the initial action doesn't work.

Anyway, he's got a way too go admittedly, but he'll be fine

 

Good points.

I hope Deangelo isn't getting a premature ego or is pouting.

Kobe didn't start until his 3rd season. Make the choice for the coaching staff. Ball your butt off so that they have no choice but to start him.

Also due to no other point guards, I understand while Byron is having Deangelo come off the bench, that way we have a point guard on the floor at all times. He shouldn't take that as a demotion. Hopefully Kobe and Ron will straighten him out.

 

I think bringing D'Angelo off the bench in the short term will do wonders for his AND Julius Randle's development. I don't think it's quite a coincidence that the little spike we've seen in D'Angelo and Julius' games the past week just happened to come when they started playing in separate units for stretches (Julius with the starters and D'Angelo off the bench). The first few games they played together, it seemed at times that our offense went stagnant, with D'Angelo swinging it to Julius off of a pick-and-pop around the 3 point area, only to see Julius clank a long jumper or drive with no purpose and chuck up a wild runner.

Now that they have been given respective freedoms playing with their own units as primary ballhandlers, it seems like Julius has started to find some success in his game as a guy who can push the ball up the floor himself after defensive rebounds, turning it into a powerful drive and finish with a full head of steam, or kicking it out for open jumpers.

As for Russell, I think his success as a distributer against Maccabi, apart from the fact that they were easier in competition, was that he played with established players who fully knew their strengths and spots on the court, be it Kelly as a spot up shooter or Tarik as a pick and roll target.

At the end of the day, I think the freedom each of these guys gets as the focal point of their respective lineups is the major positive we have in bringing Russell off the bench. It gives both Julius and D'Angelo the opportunity to find their comfort zones on the court and develop individual confidence in their games. Again, this would be ideal in the SHORT term.

 

how would these lineups perform?

starters:
G: Clarkson
G: Kobe
F: MWP
F: Randle
C: Hibbert

bench
G: Russell
G: Lou
F: Swag
F: Rkelly
C: Black or Bass

crunch time get the win lineup
G: Russell
G: Clarkson
F: Kobe
F: Randle
C: Hibbert


Having Russell come off the bench or play as a 6th man could give us unique looks. I do want to see more Russell and Clarkson in the backcourt just so that they get used to playing with each other, especially since after Kobe retires, they will be our primary guards. Maybe what Byron will do is once Huertas comes back, start Russell, and see how Huertas runs the second unit. Huertas is still an unknown, so we need to see how he handles running a team against NBA competition. It could be that we have no choice but to have Russell be a 6th man. We have to wait and see. If we do, Russell should see it as an opportunity instead of a demotion.

 

rrofy is right that watching Russell share the floor with lou dominating the ball is kind of sad. don't get me wrong, I like what lou brings--but Russell needs to be involved in the offense. and he's flexible, as he's shown with his off ball play in the preseason. lou's not, though. that's a coaching issue that I trust will get sorted out.

 

I got that sense too. There were better ways to answer the question if what he wanted to say was "I'm not used to playing with those guys as much as the starters" but he went on about how it was foreign and made it sound like it was a bad thing. He's also 19 so I'll let that slide. He needs to learn from Kobe how to prove his point without sounding like a b****.

No need to worry though. Dude was penciled in as a starter until his injury. Then we randomly decided to start Anthony Brown. And because of Kobe and Clarkson there's no way we're playing a 3-4 guard lineup (including Brown). So it means either he or Clarkson is going to the bench. And frankly Russell has no right to be on the floor over Clarkson.