The Minnesota Timberwolves squad that D’Angelo Russell began the season with is watching from home while he competes for a title in front of the cameras as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I felt like I was held back there, honestly,” Russell said, per Sam Amick of The Athletic. “I just kind of had to be the third option. Some nights, I was a little more aggressive and was kind of being held back.
So to be in a position now where I can kind of thrive and be aggressive and it gets guys going, and where the team reflects off of anybody with that type of energy, it’s fun.”
It should be noted Russell is a third option on this Lakers team as well since he is playing with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But being the third option with James in particular is much different than being the third option to Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns.
James is one of the best passers in NBA history, is a willing facilitator when double teams come his way and he attracts help on drives to the lane.
Never was that clearer than Saturday’s 127-97 blowout win over the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series.
Russell had the hot hand in the early going as he scored Los Angeles’ first 11 points, so the King made a point of keeping the ball moving until it found the guard.
And, like the all-time great he is, he eventually understood where in the flow of the game it was time to assert himself as a scorer and finished with 21 points on an efficient 6-of-11 shooting.
And the deal was worth it for Saturday’s performance alone as Russell’s 21 points in the first half helped put the Lakers ahead 2-1 in their series with Golden State.