Scott said Russell will not be in the starting lineup when the Lakers return to the court Friday against the San Antonio Spurs, per Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. The second overall pick has started only 22 of 53 games so far this season, a point of contention with many Lakers fans.
While Russell hasn't been an instant star, Scott's deployment of the former Ohio State standout has been inconsistent at best. The relationship has seemingly bordered on tenuous at points, including a number of strangely critical comments from Scott. Earlier this month, he compared Russell unfavorably to Kyrie Irving, whom Scott also coached during his rookie season.
“He was a little bit more business-like at practice and games,” Scott said of Irving, per Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “D’Angelo still has a playfulness about him. Sometimes in practice he’s joking around and losing a little bit of focus.”
Russell has also been critical of his coach, calling out the Lakers' offensive system in December while speaking to reporters.
Fellow guard Jordan Clarkson was also caught on a hot mic telling Russell to not "say anything crazy" when asked about his playing time following the Rising Stars Challenge in Toronto. Russell scored 22 points and dished seven assists in 17 minutes of playing time, later telling reporters the game was a "confidence-builder."
As for how Russell may get more playing time, it may come at the expense of Kobe Bryant. Scott said Bryant will play a "tad less" after the break, per Medina, but did not elaborate on a minutes limit. Bryant has averaged 29.3 minutes per game so far in his final NBA season, ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
