D’Angelo Russell’s defense is key for the Lakers against Grizzlies
In a series in which some experts have given the Lakers way too much credit to win, the Lakers need to be concerned about D’Angelo Russell’s defense
The Memphis Grizzlies go into this series after winning the No. 2 in the West. Memphis hasn’t had a lot of drama on the court but off the court has been a different situation. Ja Morant has been going through some mental health issues which have contributed to multiple controversies.
The Los Angeles Lakers go into this series after an overtime win against the Timberwolves in the Play-In Tournament, earning them the seventh seed in the West. They were able to turn their season around midway after trading Russell Westbrook for D’Angelo Russell, Jared Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley. They were extremely hot over the last few weeks but then played very sloppy basketball in the last minutes of their play-in game against Minnesota.
Are the Lakers really the favorite here?
Going into their series against the Grizzlies, the Lakers shouldn’t be favored given their regular-season resume. But they’re weirdly in the conversation to beat the second-best team in the West after almost losing the play-in game. Yes, they have Lebron James and Anthony Davis with a solid group of role players behind them but it all hinges on D’Angelo Russell being able to produce offensive playmaking as a third option and help slow down Ja Morant.
While durability has been a question for him during the year, the main question for Russell in this series will be if he can stay on the court without giving up tons of points on the defensive end. While he wasn’t a massive problem in the regular season, the playoffs are a different animal in terms of pace and the Lakers will need him to stay on the court.
If the Lakers want any shot of winning this series, Russell will need to hold his own on the defensive end or at least not be a noticeable issue on that side of the court. His playmaking will especially help Anthony Davis when LeBron is not in the game. If Russell can stay on the court, the Lakers will have a shot to win this series. If isn’t able to hold his own, L.A. might be heading for an early exit.
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