Hot or not, shot selection a key for Russell
DALLAS — After most Lakers practices this season, at least when he’s been healthy, D’Angelo Russell stays around to complete his final assignment — 100 three-pointers.
Often, Coach Luke Walton feeds him the ball, helping the second-year point guard work on a facet of his game that has been in consistent.
The Lakers’ last three games offer a snapshot of that inconsistency — Russell made five of eight threepoint attempts on Feb. 28 against the Charlotte Hornets, then two of five Friday against the Boston Celtics and only two of 11 Sunday against the New Orleans Pelicans.
“Working on it,” Russell said, when asked how he decides whether or not any given shot is a good one.
Walton was more verbose on that topic. To him, there’s a difference between what constitutes a “good shot” for Russell when he’s on a hot streak and what is a good shot under any circumstances.
He wants Russell taking more of the latter.
“The threes we don’t want are when the ball hasn’t moved side to side or if it’s only been one pass, two passes and we haven’t put any pressure on the defense,” Walton said. “Then, we’re not looking to get the quick shot up.
“Even within that, he’ll learn as he gets older and gets more experience that yeah, if we’re on a run and we have all that momentum, then even if it’s not him that’s hitting it, there’s times when you come down, you get that open look, let it fly. Because that could be the dagger right there. I think that type of stuff and that recognition comes with experience.”
For Russell, part of the learning process is about adjusting to defenses.
“If you make a move and you feel like you’ve got the defense beat and you shoot a shot and they contest, a good contest can make up for the move, the space that you created, and it’s considered a bad shot,” Russell said. “I don’t think about that.” Injury update
Larry Nance Jr. joined the line of half-court shooters after practice Monday afternoon at the American Airlines Center, where the Lakers will play the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night. When his turn came, he shot left-handed, his off hand — not with the right hand, on which his wrist was taped.
Nance sprained the wrist Sunday against New Orleans, but that didn’t stop him from going through all of practice Monday. And he shot with his right hand throughout practice, Walton said.
Center Ivica Zubac , on the other hand, did not participate in practice. The rookie suffered a quadriceps contusion against the Celtics on Friday and didn’t play Sunday because of the injury. Etc.
The Lakers have not played a road game since a Feb. 24 loss at Oklahoma City, their first game after the All-Star break. President of basketball operations Magic Johnson, who accompanied the team to Oklahoma, did not make this two-game trip, which concludes Thursday at Phoenix.