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ESPN Staff Writer Dave McMenamin
LOS ANGELES — For the second straight season, D’Angelo Russell was on the Lakers’ starting unit on Opening Day but was moved to the bench in response to the team struggling in an early loss.
After Friday’s 116-106 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, only this time Russell sounded completely at peace with the move.
“I just wanted to win,” Russell said after scoring 18 points on 7-for-12 shooting and three assists as a reserve. “So whatever happens, the plan changes, whatever it is, whatever the coach needs, just try to get the win and be a part of it.”
Cam Reddish taking Russell’s spot marks first-year coach JJ Redick’s first strategic adjustment to a starter this season.
Reddick did not hold an open competition for starting pitchers in training camp, naming LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Anthony Davis, Rui Hachimura and Russell as his first five before the preseason began, and together they will win 18 games in 2023-24. He mentioned a 6-loss record.
Russell only found his place in the starting five games after losing his job in late December amid a 1-5 slide in LA.
Former Lakers coach Davin Ham, with whom Russell struggled to connect at times, kept him in the secondary until mid-January.
“With the change of coaches this summer and the new staff coming in, we left all the baggage at the door,” Russell said of the differences as he digested Reddick’s decision. “I did my best no matter what happened. Now you see that too.”
The adjustment comes after Reddick benched Russell midway through the third quarter and played just 22 total minutes, a season low, as Los Angeles went 1-4 in its most recent road game and lost 131-114 to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The point guard struggled on both ends for a handful of possessions before Redick called a timeout for Memphis to take Russell out of the game, and game broadcast cameras captured the Lakers’ coach pounding a chair in frustration.
“Basketball is an emotional game for me,” Redick said when asked about video of his outburst before Friday’s game. “I’m a very competitive person and a very passionate person. Sometimes… I lose control of my emotions for short periods of time. This isn’t the first time this has happened, but I’ll be honest. Maybe it’s the first time it’s happened to me on Twitter.” “But it could happen again two hours from now.”
Reddick had nothing but praise for Russell after Friday’s win improved the Lakers’ home record to 4-0.
“We asked him to do the job, and he accepted the role,” Redick said. “He talks to me all the time. He has a really strong desire to win, and a really strong desire to be coached. And our level of communication from June 20th to today has been open, honest and transparent, and it continues to be. “I think so.”
Beyond the defensive lift that Reddish was able to provide to Philadelphia’s Paul George, helping hold him to just nine points on 4-for-13 shooting, Russell brought some offense to LA’s bench unit. league.
“It’s been a big success for us off the bench,” Reddick said after Russell’s 5-4 start to tie the game for the highest scoring game of any Lakers player off the bench. “It was a really efficient night for him, and he played really good basketball.”
In addition to Russell’s impact, Davis had 31 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in his return from a one-game absence due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot. James had a triple-double with 21 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds; And Austin Reaves’ 20 points and 7 assists got the Lakers back on track.
Looking ahead, Redick emphasized that he is still working to find the right combination for his lineup.
“For the balance of the group and the balance of roles, I think this is the right thing to do right now,” Redick said. “But I want to be clear: this is all very fluid.”
And Russell vowed to go with the flow.
“My approach has been to be professional from day one,” he said. “And I commit to that by not playing, coming off the bench, whatever it is. I have no ego, so I just want to win.”
