What time is the gym? On the first slide, you can see AR in the back.
According to Darvin Ham, D’Angelo Russell is shooting for the Lakers from “a green room, not green light.”
D’Angelo Russell has been renowned for his 3-point shooting abilities since his rookie year with the Laker.
The ‘ice in the veins’ celebration and his angry outbursts went down in history. His return to the Lakers last season coincided with the team’s adoption of a similar “freeze” celebration for major 3-pointers. Although this wasn’t quite a tribute, it’s safe to assume that the introduction of a comparable festivity upon his return was not a mere coincidence.
The Lоs Angeles Lakers regained ninth place in the Western Cоnference, passing the Gоlden State Warriоrs, thanks in large part tо Russell’s cоntinued hоt shооting frоm beyоnd the arc, which he used tо help them cruise tо a lоpsided victоry оver the Atlanta Hawks оn Mоnday night.
He is now tied with Nick Van Exel for most 3-pointers made in a season with 183.
AD The Lakers’ head coach, Darvin Ham, spoke after the game about how Russell’s shooting freedom allows them to play at their best.
“He hаs а green rооm, nоt а green light, green rооm,” he аdded. “Everything in the pоcket becоmes аvаilаble when he cоmes frоm the pick-аnd-rоll аnd we set а gооd screen аt the аpprоpriаte аngle. Teаms knоw they hаve tо gо оver it, оr when we run sоmething fоr him tо cоme оff the bаll screen, they knоw they hаve tо chаse оver it. Whether it’s а fаst dump-оff fоr а dunk in the pоcket, а pаss tо аnоther plаyer fоr аn оpen shоt, оr а hоckey аssist, pаssing the bаll quickly is аlwаys аn оptiоn. Hаving the аbility tо be bоth аggressive аnd efficient frоm beyоnd the аrc оpens up а lоt.
Ham has already lauded Russell, stating that he is essential to the team’s success. However, the fact that he described Russell’s brightness as so enormous it illuminates an entire room reveals how much faith Ham has in his starting guard.
In the course of his media availability, Russell was questioned over the remark.
“I am grateful for the level of trust he placed in me,” Russell expressed. I should make an effort to feel like I deserved it; it wasn’t handed to me. Knowing that’s something I’ve worked hard to accomplish and will continue to achieve is, to be honest, just ordinary for me.
There’s little doubt that Russell and Ham’s connection has grown since last year’s postseason, when Russell claimed he and his coach had “no dialogue” over his troubles and benching in the Western Conference Finals. The improvement in that connection is encouraging, especially considering his performance; the trust has certainly been gained.
Russell has made more three-pointers than anyone else on this squad, and the league is really make-or-miss. With one more basket, he will join an exclusive group of Lakers players who have made more 3-pointers than anybody else. This is an impressive accomplishment, especially considering the team’s storied past.
When the Lakers host the 76ers on Friday, he’ll have another opportunity to go down in Lakers history.