The Los Angeles Lakers are headed for another sweep in the postseason at the hands of the Denver Nuggets after they looked listless in their Game 3 loss.
Every game this series, the Lakers have rushed out to strong starts only to run out of gas in the second half and allow the Nuggets to erase the halftime deficits.
Los Angeles has gotten strong performances from LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but the rest of the supporting cast has not offered much help.
D’Angelo Russell was the clear-cut X-factor for the Lakers because of his outside shooting and playmaking, but he put up an absolute dud in Game 3 after going scoreless from the field.
Russell is a streaky player who can flip a game on its head when he has it going, but Los Angeles couldn’t afford such a bad game from him at home.
Russell’s inconsistency on the floor has led people like Jason Timpf of The Volume to believe that any team serious about winning a title can’t have him as a starter.
“If you’re a serious basketball team, you cannot have this guy in your top 5 players,” Timpf said.
"If you're a serious basketball team, you cannot have this guy in your top 5 players"
—@_JasonLT is done with @Dloading in LA pic.twitter.com/CfwcUqFQyM
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) April 27, 2024
While it might sound harsh, the reality is that Russell has not proven he can be a consistent piece on a championship contender.
Russell’s 3-point shooting is his most attractive basketball trait, but the ups and downs have made for a maddening experience for his teammates and the fans.
At this point, it’s hard to imagine Los Angeles will be motivated to try and keep him this summer and his market might not be as robust as he hopes.
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