LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell have voiced their thoughts on the Lakers’ frustrating 114-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the inaugural matchup of their playoff series on Saturday.
James emphasized the significance of the Lakers showing greater meticulousness.
“On any winning team, paying attention to fine points is non-negotiable,” he stated firmly. “It’s a fundamental requirement.”
Commenting on his challenging performance where he scored 13 points with a 6-20 field goal accuracy, D’Angelo Russell also engaged with the press.
“I can’t remember the last time I took 20 shots,” Russell remarked. “So having those opportunities, well, not all of them were top-notch, maybe 5 or 6 of them were subpar, but I understand my potential… so honestly, I’m optimistic about that… sometimes the shots just don’t go in.”
Reaction from D’Angelo Russell regarding his 6/20 shoot night: pic.com/49DXRtg0N7
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) April 21, 2024
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham expressed that he had no intentions of sidelining Russell solely based on one weak shooting exhibition, highlighting his previous contributions in helping LA advance, as well as a recent strong showing against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Ham indicated that the team had further adaptations prepared to challenge Nikola Jokic in the upcoming Game 2.
“It’s a tough scenario,” Ham acknowledged. “A team eyeing a championship will not lose against itself.”
The Lakers and Nuggets are scheduled to clash in Game 2 in Denver on Wednesday.
Image Source: LeBron James @ Instagram
