The Los Angeles Lakers faced the Utah Jazz, and the former had a disappointing 132-125 loss. LeBron James did not participate in the game due to an ankle injury. Struggling since the In-Season tournament victory, the Lakers faced the Jazz who entered with confidence gained from four straight wins. D’Angelo Russell decided to pull his socks up and offer resistance to the Jazz.

The team doesn’t seem to be in the mood of ceasing to create upsets after an upset in the tournament. After mauling the 76ers, Raptors, Bucks, and Nuggets, the Jazz went after the Lakers. Utah would have inflicted even more serious damage to the Lakers had Austin Reaves’s pairing with Russell not worked. After the game, Russell spoke about his pair with Reaves in tones of admiration.

D’Angelo Russell speaks about his bond with Austin Reaves

Russell added 39 points, 3 rebounds, and 8 assists in his 41-minute play. He paired well with Austin Reaves, who added 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in his 31-minute play. After the game, he opined how credible their partnership was and how the two had built chemistry in a short period. Russell said, “We got a lot of credibility in the short stint that we have together. So you put us out there, it works.”

And Reaves, too, paid back to the star in the same coin. Austin Reaves praised Russell as a player and shared how he felt about the association,“[D’Angelo Russell is] a super talented player that’s been doing this for a while… It’s an honor to share the court with him.”

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D’Angelo Russell and Reaves came together to shoot for 22-34, which amounted to 64.7 starting in the backcourt together. The pair would have been instrumental in scripting a win, but Anthony Davis’s poor shooting in the game cost them the match even though the star posted a triple-double. With LeBron out, Russell and Reaves tried their best to keep Jazz at bay, but their career statistics reveal that the Lakers’ hopes are in good hands amid trade rumors.

Reaves and Russell’s future questioned as trade rumors float

Rumors are hot that Russell is no longer a valuable chip for the Lakers, given his $17 million salary. Also, the Lakers have made it known that trading Reaves for Dejounte Murray of the Hawks is not an option. Russell has contributed well to the team, but his salary could be heavy for the Lakers’ purse. The point guard has played for 9 seasons for four teams. He has averaged 17.6 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in the 531 regular season games he has played. This season, Russell has bagged 15.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

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Austin Reaves has played for 3 seasons for the Lakers with an average of 11.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3,2 assists. The star since he was drafted went on to play in 165 games. This season he has averaged 15.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.

What is your take on the bond between Reaves and Russell? Let us know in the comments.

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