Russell responds to benching emphatically

After D’Angelo Russell had been benched for the final period of the Nets’ previous two games, he spent the second half Sunday leading them to a blowout victory.

Russell had a game-high tying 21 points and six assists in a 122-97 rout of the Sixers. And he did most of his damage while the Nets were blowing this one open.

The young guard had nine points in a 41-28 third quarter, and five points and two assists in 11-0 run that broke a tie.

“Now the challenge is for him to do it on this road trip and keep doing it,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “The flow of our offense, and the fact that we got our more in transition, I think that helps him. When we get stagnant in the halfcourt, they lock into us; they lock into him; they get into him. But I thought we did a great job with our pace and getting him free in flow, and I thought that was the difference.”

Russell sat the final 5:42 of regulation and all over overtime in Wednesday’s win over Detroit, and the whole fourth quarter Friday against Houston. Afterwards he said he’d study the tape to see what he could improve on, but said what- ever Atkinson decided goes.

On Sunday, the Nets forced 28 turnovers and got a chance to run, which helped Russell.

➤ Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had season-high 21 points and grabbed six rebounds.

“He’s a defensive specialist, so whatever he adds on the offensive end or anywhere else, I think that’s just the cherry on top,” Russell said of Hollis-Jefferson. “But he’s always going to be that work hard, scrappy guy. ... But he has offensive skills, as well, so he’s falling into his rhythm. He needed that game just to get that confidence right. ... We’re going to need him.”