D'Angelo Russell Still Confident in Lakers Ability to Take Down Denver in Series
Should fans buy into the hype that Russell is selling?
Just as the Los Angeles Lakers felt like they would break their long losing streak to the Denver Nuggets, it was ripped away from them. Once holding a 20-point lead in the second half of game two, the Lakers proceeded to fall apart when it mattered most, allowing Denver to steal the game.
It was a heartbreaking defeat for the team, ending with a game-winning buzzer-beater from point guard Jamal Murray. The feeling and moment resembled what the Lakers did to Denver in the 2020 Western Conference Finals when Anthony Davis hit a game-winning shot to sink the Nuggets in game two of that series.
Now heading back to Los Angeles for games three and four, the Lakers know they let some chances slip away. However, they aren't lacking confidence, and point guard D'Angelo Russell still believes they can win the series.
“I liked where we were at,” Russell said. “We did a lot of good things that gave us an opportunity to win all night.”
Russell even took to Discord after the game, saying that he hopes fans still back them and that they are going to win the series.
Russell performed poorly in game one of the series, similar to how he played in the Western Conference Finals a year ago. But he was much better in game two, showing what he could be for this team.
With the team going back home, maybe it will be the wake-up call they need. In terms of pure talent, the Lakers have shown that they can hang with the Nuggets but poor late-game execution has doomed them in a familiar fashion each time the two sides have played of late.
More Lakers: Lakers News: Nikola Jokic Puts Up Historic Stat Line Vs LA
