The Los Angeles Lakers don’t have much to play for other than the development of their young players as they enter the home stretch of their season. Fittingly, that is exactly what D’Angelo Russell said he’s focused on as the campaign comes to a close.
"Individually, I want to compete,” Russell told reporters after the Lakers’ 97-81 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers (as transcribed by Serena Winters of Lakers Nation). “Take it to another level these last nine games and get something out of that."
Russell’s recent 40 point explosion against the Cleveland Cavaliers aside, he has struggled at times to find his stride in a new role in which he plays primarily off the ball with Jordan Clarkson as the Lakers’ nominal “point guard.