D'Angelo Russell Discussion: Opted In!

Yeah DLo certain athletic guys give you trouble but you're the PG. Call for a re screen after Kuminga fights thru the first one.

He's got to see how Lebron match up hunts. You have to do that in these must win critical games.

 

yeah when a big wing is on DLO, he struggles, but like others have said, he has to be smarter and realize this.

My problem with DLO was actually on D...getting blown by consistently, and just looked like he wasn't trying his hardest on D on a lot of possessions. That's the part that hurt us the most.

 

Dlo has zero physical gifts to fall back on so when he doesn't play with full intensity, it's rough. When you barely have NBA level athleticism, you just can't do that.

 

Thinking about this I think this is a weird reason injuries really impact the Lakers whether it's a star or certain roleplayers. DLo has the ability to have a Kyrie Irving impact to the game so he lifts your ceiling a lot but his weaknesses (defense, athleticism) make him also easy to counter and actually cause your floor to get worse. You're better off with a caretaker PG so your at leat not bleeding points on defense

So the right team makeup is something like this
1) i.e. a generational defensive talent such as AD and good POA defenders - to hide him on defense
2) other great playmakers Lebron even AR to force the other teams best defender away from him

The team wasn't built around Dlo but ironically it fit him extremely well but you take away those pieces (vando/ad, lebron) and suddenly instead of Kyrie Irving you have JHS out there.

 

Very well said...I think DLO in particular gets exposed when AD is not playing...maybe something to pay attention to?

 

If he can't score, he's a liability. It's just that simple. He can still be exposed playing with Lebron and AD on the court, ie Sac/:Minn and Denver.

This is why I disagree with this notion, that he would be so hard to replace. Any guard with a solid jumper, will fit around Lebron and AD.

He is who he is, at this point in his career. He would be great on a team that isn't trying to win a Championship. On a title contender though, I don't think he's a guy that you can rely on, to show up in every series.

 

Another big game where DLo comes up small.

 

it's definitely a thing, and a career-spanning thing. just beware the kuzma curse in terms of your wishes.

 

Repeat after me : KCP , Caruso , Schröder ..

 

I never wished for Kuz to be traded and I would still keep DLo over a “star” like Trae.

 

I would have paid Caruso and would have never traded KCP and Kuz for Westbrick.
Go back and check all of my back and forth arguments with Slick regarding the value of KCP and Kuz.
I’m just not sold on relying on DLo to even be our third best player when the pressure’s on. In the low pressure games, he shines and sometimes plays at an All Star level.
If he can ball out, get us into the first round, and play really well there, I will be persuaded. Until then, I’m not.

 

i think reaves/dlo/rui split the third offensive option role.

tbh, lebron and AD haven't been as strong a 1/2 since the ring, so adding a bona fide third doesn't matter much to me.

we're playing out the string.

 

I feel like both AD and LeBron know this too.

 

We got Gabe as DLO insurance, and then we got Dinwiddie for Gabe/DLO insurance...so something's got to give and if DLO is having an off game, it's on HAM to pull him for Dinwiddie and not overthink it.

 

Well, we all know who the weakest link in this chain is(it’s not the players).

 

Has anyone blamed her yet today …. Jeanie?

 

The players are always more to blame. It's a players league. D'Angelo needs to wake the f*** up soon.

 

10 assists, but the offense wasn't there

Glad we have Din and Deadman