The Los Angeles Lakers‘ stay in the 2024 NBA Playoffs looks like it is going to be a brief one. After defeating the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA Play-In Tournament, Los Angeles earned the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and a matchup against the No. 2 seed Denver Nuggets.
The defending NBA Champions are the worst matchup the Lakers could have received in the postseason. Entering the postseason, Denver was on an eight-game winning streak against Los Angeles, which includes a sweep in the Western Conference Finals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
That winning streak has now stretched to 11 games as the Nuggets have jumped out to a 3-0 series lead. It is quite remarkable that the Lakers are in this deep of a hole as they have held a double-digit lead in every game, including a 20-point lead that was blown in Game 2.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jay Williams, D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
A lot has gone wrong during the games for the Lakers to be in the hole they are in. But, the inconsistent performances of guard D’Angelo Russell. It has been a roller coaster ride watching him in the NBA Playoffs as he has sandwiched a 7-for-11 Game 2 3-point shooting performance with 1-of-r 15 combined in Games 1 and 3.
His performance in Game 3, however, was especially troubling. Not only was Russell struggling with his performance, he looked disengaged. At one point, cameras caught him at the end of the bench away from his teammates during a huddle.
That isn’t a good look for anyone, let alone someone who was struggling to the degree that Russell was. On Friday morning, his performance and how he handled himself on the sidelines drew the ire of former NBA point guard turned ESPN analyst, Jay Williams.
During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up, Williams ripped into Russell for the level of effort that he was showing throughout Game 3. In Williams’ opinion, Russell looked to have quit on his teammates.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jay Williams, D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
“I don’t want him on my roster,” Williams said in reference to Russell’s future with the Lakers.
With a player option for the 2024-25 NBA Season, Russell could be a free agent this summer. He certainly isn’t doing himself any favors when it comes to earning a lucrative long-term contract with how he has played on the court and conducted himself on the bench during the postseason.
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