Los Angeles Lakers pro point guard D’Angelo Russell greatly praised Sacramento coach Mike Brown following their 120-107 loss on Wednesday, March 14, which completed a regular-season sweep.
“Mike Brown, honestly,” Russell told reporters when asked what makes the Kings hard to beat. “I know how good of a coach he is. I know what he’s done to that team and I know where they were before he got there and where they are now.
Clearly, they have capable players but the system he’s developed around those players — everyone’s involved and deadly, and I understand his approach. It’s definitely his doing.”
D’Angelo Russell’s Praise for Darvin Ham
Russell’s high praise of their opponent's coach followed a ESPN report discussion of his disagreements and an evolving relationship with Lakers coach Darvin Ham.
A film session in early January, following a 110-96 loss to the short-handed Miami Heat, led to Ham and Russell clashing. The coach wanted to see better effort and execution; the player wanted to see sharper schemes. Ham was headstrong in his instructions, illustrating through the film where his team would “half-ass it through possessions,” he said.
Russell dismissed the lack of execution, focusing rather on an alternative approach he believed would be better for the team.
In their fourth consecutive loss to the Kings, and seventh in their last eight meetings, the Lakers once again had no solution to Sacramento’s high-powered offense.
“I don’t know,” Russell told reporters when asked if they had learned anything from their losses. “They swept us all year so maybe if we play them again we’ll figure it out.”
Asked why they did not utilize Rui Hachimura more in the second half after the Japanese forward scored 17 points on 8 of 10 shots in the first two quarters, Russell had a mysterious response.
“Yeah, I’d rather not go there with it. Good game for Rui,” Russell said.
Hachimura only had three points in the second half on a solitary 3-point attempt to finish with 20 points.
His concise responses regarding their actions were a stark contrast to his effusive praise of the Kings’ system under Brown.
‘Challenging Night’
Russell had his worst game since he returned to the starting lineup in January.
The 28-year-old point guard missed his first 7 shots and did not score a field goal until the fourth quarter. He ended up with 6 points and 6 assists.
“Tough night for me,” Russell told reporters when asked about his performance.
But it was not only Russell.
Their top stars — LeBron James and Anthony Davis — also had below-average games.
James, who was dealing with a cold and ankle problems, only scored 18 points on 6 of 16 shots. Davis had a quiet double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds as he only made 7 of 18 from the field.
Domantas Sabonis continued his dominance over Davis with his 23rd triple-double (17 points 19 rebounds and 10 assists).
Russell, James and Davis combined to shoot 5 of 22 in the first half which gave the Kings momentum.
