Lakers News: Darvin Ham Benches D’Angelo Russell Amid Four-Game Losing Streak
In a rather surprising move, D'Angelo Russell is heading to the bench. The Los Angeles Lakers are on a four-game losing skid, and this move sounds like it might have been made out of a little bit of desperation.
Russell isn't the chief reason that the team has not been clicking since winning the In-Season Tournament, but it appears that Ham wants to ensure that the team will focus instead on defense.
Even stranger is that Austin Reaves is not replacing Russell in the lineup, which would make the most sense. Reaves has been dynamic, and if any Lakers player on the bench needs more minutes—it's Reaves.
The team will go with "bigger bodies" in LeBron James, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Anthony Davis.
Ham could be facing a situation in which he has no choice but to try crazy lineup changes. The Lakers have not been clicking with one another in the same way they did during the In-Season Tournament.
Benching Russell might not solve all their problems, but Ham is willing to focus on the defensive side of the ball by bringing in this new starting five. We will see if the new lineup can do something to reignite the Lake Show back into the winning column.
