Hey everyone, my name is Dan Woike and welcome back to the Lakers newsletter, our once-a-week music recommendation disguised as a place to talk basketball.
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This week, before we listen to some modern rock, we’re going to re-examine D’Angelo Russell’s huge match Friday night and the questions that rightfully still exist.
His moment
I tried to put it down, to understand how all this could be possible.
D’Angelo Russell, who was apparently signed this summer so he could one day be traded, not only survived the trade blockade, he thrived in it.
Now, Russell has to have a place in the Lakers’ future plans – he’s been that good. Since returning to the starting lineup in mid-January, he has averaged 22.5 points and 6.4 assists while hitting 45.7 percent of his three shots on more than eight attempts per game.
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He’s hit 173 total threes this year — 11 shy of the franchise record for most threes made in a year. (Nick Van Exel is the current record holder with 183 made threes in 1994-95).
“I mean, it would be a huge honor to put my name in that category,” Russell said Tuesday. “But for me, I feel like if I had never left, I would have done something like that. So with complete confidence, I will keep that in the back of my mind. At the same time, I’m still trying to break that record, not just get it.
If you talk to Russell even a little, his confidence invariably comes through.
This year, he has spoken often about his tendency to be aggressive alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He behaved as if all the big shots should be taken down by him – even when that is not the case. And it has become a more comfortable place in the Lakers locker room.
After helping the Lakers beat the Bucks, Russell delivered his “quote of the year” when asked how he handled it all this season.
“Yes, with my profession and my talent on the field, I always felt that I was capable of doing things. Being hot makes the game a little more exciting throughout a match. Off the field, obviously, you know what I went through,” he said. “Public humiliation has only made me the killer you all see today. And I never lack confidence. I’m never afraid of confrontation. I want all the smoke. I want to talk about it. Let’s play at a high IQ, get in a room and talk about it. I just feel confident in what I bring to basketball. If it’s filming, watching it, helping the young players, I know what I bring to the table. No matter what room I walk into, I am confident.
Next up is the playoffs, where he shot just 31 percent from three-point range a year ago. He certainly seems on solid footing with the Lakers, but this is where he could really flip the narrative.
Lakers show
We talked even more about Russell in this week’s episode, which you can find here on YouTube. Make sure to like and subscribe.
Song of the week
Just good old rock’n’roll from this band from Michigan that reminds me of a mix of early Weezer with Jimmy Eat World with maybe a little Pixies dust sprinkled in. Either way, they rock. I’ve been listening to their album for a few weeks and it hasn’t left the rotation.
In case you missed it
How Caitlin Clark recreated Kobe Bryant’s iconic photo with a trophy in a shower stall
The Lakers can’t solve the Nuggets until they solve the Kings
Fortunately Kobe Bryant will have three statues. The first one has typos
Plaschke: Good Lakers? Bad Lakers? It’s impossible to predict where this team is going
The defining stretch of the season arrives for the Lakers. Here’s what to expect
