The Los Angeles Lakers secured the seventh seed for the playoffs with a wild comeback victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Starting point guard D’Angelo Russell had a rough shooting night, finishing with just two points on 1-for-9 shooting in 24 minutes, but he remains confident heading into the playoffs.
Russell’s Confidence and Approach in the Playoffs
Russell may have had a rough shooting game in the play-in tournament, but he is not going to change his approach for the playoffs. He believes in his abilities and is comfortable expressing it. He knows that he can get it going at any point in the game and make 10 shots in a row.
Russell has shown his ability to respond to adversity and bounce back after subpar nights throughout the regular season. He is a type of player who can control the game even if he is not making shots. During Lakers’ games, he proved that he can positively impact the team if given the opportunity to get out of slumps during games, and isn’t worried about his ability to do so.
Lakers’ Plan for the Playoffs
The Lakers are focusing on keeping things as normal as possible and are playing closely to the style that helped them become one of the best teams in the West after the All-Star break. They attempted an NBA-best 28.3 free throws after the All-Star break, and they also don’t foul much.
The Lakers are ready to meet any physical and emotional challenges in the playoffs after a mental war during the regular season when they were hit hard by injuries to key personnel.
Laker’s Roster Preparing for Playoffs
The Lakers left Los Angeles on Friday for Memphis to acclimate to the time zone change ahead of an early start Sunday at 2 p.m. in Tennessee. D’Angelo Russell wants to make his hotel room feel like home and get comfortable off the floor, but he remains confident and focused on the playoffs.
LeBron James gave insights into his thoughts on the Grizzlies roster following the Play-In Game, discussing the strengths of nearly the entire Grizzlies roster, including Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane, Xavier Tillman, and Luke Kennard. This kind of thorough scouting is precisely what Lakers need to elevate their game moving forward.
Lakers’ Victory against Timberwolves
The Lakers secured an important win against Minnesota that ensured they would have a couple of days of rest before the start of the playoffs. A major comeback in the fourth quarter was required for the Lakers to win. Anthony Davis said that winning against the Timberwolves was crucial for getting extra rest before the playoffs.
Russell had significant stretches for the Lakers as the season wound down, instrumental in scoring and playmaking. Ensuring that he’s in rhythm will be crucial for the rest of the playoffs as his playmaking and scoring take some of the load off of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
In conclusion, D’Angelo Russell’s confidence and approach will be critical for the Lakers’ success in playoffs. The team is focused on keeping things as normal as possible while preparing thoroughly for each game. Scouting and preparation will play an enormous role if Lakers want to go deep into playoffs defending their championship title.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
