Lakers Starter Dismisses Nuggets Trash Talk

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While some Los Angeles Lakers players have made it known that trash talk from the Denver Nuggets has added additional motivation to their opening night matchup, starting point guard D'Angelo Russell is not one of those players. When asked about this, Russell dismissed the trash talk and any idea that it adds fuel for this game, saying, "Who cares? Next game. One game at a time. I'm the wrong guy to ask that one."
Reporter: “There’s been some chatter from [the Nuggets]… What does that add to tomorrow’s game?”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 23, 2023
D’Angelo Russell: “Who cares… It’s just another team we’re trying to get a win against.” 👀
(via @michaelcorvoNBA) pic.twitter.com/6VCAHStjPa
Different players have different opinions on how Denver's trash talk impacts their outlook on this game, but for Russell it's just another opponent he's trying to get a win against. It's also worth noting that Denver has not said much, if anything since the championship parade. There were a few comments from Malone, and then of course the "Lakers' daddy" remark at the parade, but all of the recent comments from Denver's side have been about leaving last season in the past.
At the end of the day, the Lakers and the Nuggets are two teams who expect to contend in the Western Conference this season, and could very well see each other again in the playoffs. That alone is motivation, and neither side needs much of a boost to get up for this opening night game. For Russell specifically, it's just another game he wants to win.
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Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.