Why Is D’Angelo Russell Struggling? Austin Reaves Dismisses Ex-All Star’s Lack of ‘Confidence’ as Reason for Failure

The Los Angeles Lakers have started the season with mixed results. Their home form is imperious, with three wins out of three games. But their performances on the road leave much to be desired. They lost all three of their away games. Their latest defeat came at the hands of the Orlando Magic, who defeated them 120-101. D’Angelo Russell’s early season form has been a source of concern for the Lakers fans. And his showing against the Magic will only reinforce the doubts of his critics.

However, in an interview, Russell’s teammate Austin Reaves came to his defense and refuted the idea that Russell’s poor performances were a result of a lack of confidence.

What’s wrong with D’Angelo Russell?

The Lakers began this season with renewed hope and optimism. But following their defeat to the Magic, questions were raised and D-Lo became the scapegoat for the Lakers’ failure. Russell finished the game with just 11 points in 35 minutes of action. While D-Lo has averaged 18 points and 6.5 assists in five games, his three-point shooting has been abysmal. He has successfully converted only 11 out of 40 attempted three-point shots, resulting in a three-point shooting percentage of 27.5%.

Russell faced significant criticism due to his subpar performance against the Magic. But Austin Reaves came out in support of his teammate in an interview. Reaves suggested that a lack of confidence wasn’t the reason behind D-Lo’s slump and anticipated that he would make a strong comeback. He said, “One thing D-Lo don’t lack is confidence. … A lot of people will go back and trash him for the game he had, but that all it is, nobody’s worried about him.” 

D-Lo’s Defensive Struggles

The Lakers acquired D’Angelo Russell through a three-team trade involving the Jazz and Timberwolves last season. The additions of D-Lo, Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt propelled the Lakers into the playoffs. D-Lo played a crucial role in the Lakers’ late-season revival and even held his own against the Warriors in the Conference semifinals. But the Nuggets severely exposed his defensive shortcomings in the Conference finals. The Lakers eventually lost to the Nuggets, who went on to win the title.

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Russell has often been criticized for his lackluster defensive performance. He has faced difficulties in staying in front of opponents, contesting shots effectively, and providing consistent effort on defense. These defensive limitations have led to opponents exploiting him, resulting in unfavorable matchups and scoring opportunities. The Lakers must tackle this issue promptly, or they risk falling behind their competitors for the NBA championship.

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