The Lakeshow disappeared today after Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray decided to take things into their own hands. A few minutes before the first half ended, the Los Angeles Lakers had a promising 12-point lead. However, the Denver Nuggets, as always, decided to turn the tables around in the third quarter by firing shots from all over the court to give the Lakers their first loss in the playoffs. With the Nuggets securing Game 1, the Lakers are facing the heat from the fans. However, D’Angelo Russell is the scapegoat for today, who was called out by a 2008 Celtics champion.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis had 27 and 32 points respectively, to lead the offense of the LA unit. Russell, who is considered an X-factor for the Lakers, did not show up at all today. Moreover, he was taking deep shots outside the three-point line, but sadly missed most of them. This triggered former Boston Celtics center Kendrick Perkins, who wrote on X, “Why in the hell did DLo just take that d*mb a** shot!!! Like those old people say “Desperation seize the Sucka.” Don’t mind me tho and Carry on…”

Russell went 1/9 from the three-point line, and 6/20 from the field, which can be cited as one of the major reasons for the Lakers’ loss today. Jokic, on the other end, had 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists, which sealed the game for the Nuggets.

The Lakers have now lost nine straight games to Jokic and the Nuggets. The last time James and Co. tasted victory against the Nuggets was in December 2022. Russell was a game-changer in the regular season for the LA unit. Especially during the trade deadline, he proved his worth to avoid last-minute changes in the team. Although Russell is facing a lot of criticism for his performance today, he is confident about the next game. 

“I know what I’m capable of”: Russell is unfazed about one bad game 

In the post-game interview, the 28-year-old guard shared, “Great looks, I mean, I can’t be mad. I don’t recall the last time I got 20 shots. So for me to get 20 good looks…I know what I’m capable of. Honestly, I’m excited about that. Sometimes the ball just don’t fall. No love lost. Can’t be upset about that one.” This positivity from Russell is appreciable. However, if this series goes down the drain, his future with the Lakers might be a question mark. 

Russell had a poor playoff performance against the Nuggets last year in the Western Conference Finals as well. He averaged 6.2 points in the 4 games he played. He also averaged 26.5 minutes in that series. This inefficient performance pushed the Lakers to put in the trade talks. He redeemed himself in the regular season this year. Let’s hope he continues the same productivity in the playoffs this year. 

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