{"id":50612,"date":"2017-11-04T06:53:49","date_gmt":"2017-11-04T06:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=50612"},"modified":"2017-11-04T06:53:49","modified_gmt":"2017-11-04T06:53:49","slug":"kyle-kuzmas-debut-starter-gives-lakers-boost-win-dangelo-russell-nets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/kyle-kuzmas-debut-starter-gives-lakers-boost-win-dangelo-russell-nets.html","title":{"rendered":"Kyle Kuzma’s debut as starter gives Lakers a boost in win over D’Angelo Russell and the Nets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kyle Kuzma’s debut as starter gives Lakers a boost in win over D’Angelo Russell and the Nets<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Kyle Kuzma’s debut as starter gives Lakers a boost in win over D’Angelo Russell and the Nets:-With no fanfare, D\u2019Angelo Russell walked off the Brooklyn Nets team bus and into the hallway where Lakers coach Luke Walton held court. For several minutes, reporters had pressed Walton about Russell, about the point guard\u2019s time in Los Angeles and about what went wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then a respite came.<\/span><\/p>\n

One reporter asked about Lonzo Ball\u2019s performance in the previous night\u2019s game. As Walton answered, Russell walked by. They made eye contact as he passed and Russell saluted his former coach. Minutes later, he saluted himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI went through a lot,\u201d Russell said of his tenure with the Lakers. \u201cKobe\u2019s farewell, everything. I went through a lot, so, just to overcome that, I salute myself for that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On Friday night at Staples Center, the Lakers beat the Nets 124-112, and Russell donned the opposing jersey for the first time at Staples Center. He faced the team that moved on from him, and the point guard his former organization put its faith in, just as it once believed in him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think possibly it could have worked out for him [with the Lakers],\u201d Walton said. \u201cWe went in another direction and I think in the long run it\u2019s going to work out for us and it\u2019s going to work out for him. So it\u2019s hopefully a win-win.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Lakers were propelled by a dazzling debut from rookie Kyle Kuzma in his first start (21 points, 13 rebounds), an inspired performance by former Nets center Brook Lopez (34 points, 10 rebounds) and an impressive showing by Brandon Ingram (18 points, 10 rebounds).<\/span><\/p>\n

Russell finished with 17 points on 8-of-24 shooting, with seven rebounds and seven assists. Ball finished with six points on 3-of-15 shooting (0 for 3 from three-point range) with seven assists and five rebounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Russell was drafted second overall in 2015 in a draft conducted by then-Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and then-executive vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss.<\/span><\/p>\n

Buss is a rare spectator at Lakers games since a legal battle with his sister over control of the team. He sat courtside for Russell\u2019s return to Staples Center.<\/span><\/p>\n

Russell\u2019s first season with the Lakers was a season dedicated to saying farewell to Kobe Bryant, who announced his retirement in November 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n

His second season was marked by turmoil in the organization. In Walton\u2019s first season, the Lakers began 10-10, but then went 2-14 in December. By February, Buss and Kupchak had been fired and replaced by Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka.<\/span><\/p>\n

It quickly became clear the Lakers were planning to draft a point guard. That didn\u2019t yet present murmurs that the Lakers were open to trading Russell. Still, Walton said he never reached a point during the season where he coached Russell as if Russell was on his way out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were coaching D\u2019Angelo as [if] he was going to be our point guard for the next 10 years,\u201d Walton said. \u201cWe do that with every player that we have because we don\u2019t know, we don\u2019t know what will happen in the future. We don\u2019t know what will happen if someone will really get traded or not get traded.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Johnson and Pelinka traded Russell to the Nets on June 20, two days before they drafted Ball second overall. The Nets also took Timofey Mozgov and his contract that would have tied up $16 million in salary cap space for each of the next three seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n

They sent center Brook Lopez to the Lakers and also a draft pick that became Kuzma.<\/span><\/p>\n

To explain moving Russell, Johnson later said he \u201cneeded a leader.\u201d The comment didn\u2019t go unnoticed by Russell. \u201cI would say it ruffled a few feathers,\u201d Russell said. Asked if he believes he is a leader, Russell said \u201cof course.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The crowd offered an assortment of boos and cheers for Russell when he was introduced before the game. Russell subbed in with 9:45 left in the second quarter and had a light exchange with Walton at the scorer\u2019s table. Upon checking in, the boos got louder.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the game, Russell feigned ignorance. \u201cI don\u2019t recall,\u201d he said, about his reception. \u201cI don\u2019t recall.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/lakers\/la-sp-lakers-nets-20171103-story.html<\/span><\/p>\n

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