D'Angelo Russell showed a bit of potential, thanks mainly to the playing time he finally got from head coach Byron Scott.
Russell showed fans a bit of why he was considered one of the best guards in the 2015 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft, although he did show as well the inexperience and mistakes which are only normally seen from young players.
Russell got the nod after sophomore Jordan Clarkson went down with a right ankle injury. But it seems that the Filipino-American player is now good to go, meaning Russell will have to revert back to his old position.
Scott clarified, according to Basketball Insiders, that this is not punishment or anything but more on his decision to play the vets a bit more than the frosh. And as everyone knows, this is why many have been taking potshots at the former Lakers great.
But his demotion of sorts didn't seem to show against the Milwaukee Bucks. He poured in 19 points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals last Tuesday, helping the Lakers pull off perhaps a rare blowout win, 113–95.
So right now, it may no longer be a question of playing time but of trust. Scott has been far from convincing everyone that he is ready to take a chance on Russell, but the rookie guard seems to be fine with the scenario.
The improvements that Russell has been showing is noticed by his teammates as well. According to a report by ESPN, Kobe Bryant believes that Russell is reading the game better, while Clarkson somewhat agrees as well. The sophomore guard sees Russell slowing down, making the proper analysis before executing what he has to do.
Scott, despite the criticism and all, has taken notice of Russell's patience and extra work. He believes such is paying dividends, although he still hints that the young guns still have a long way to go.
