LA Lakers at San Antonio Spurs Saturday, February 6, 5:30 PT on TWSN, KENS

[Dr Aki]

kobe ball-watching allowing kawhi to grab that board

[moonpie]

At this point, I'm legitimately questioning whether or not Russell will close a game for the rest of the year

[Jakay]

At this point, I'm legitimately questioning whether or not Russell will close a game for the rest of the year

He needed to come out there. For one Clarkson needed to come back in, no question. But Russell was losing his focus big time too.

[gts1]

Tough loss against a very good team...

Back to the Bathurst 12 hr

[dockingsched]

At this point, I'm legitimately questioning whether or not Russell will close a game for the rest of the year

Once he's starting he should be closing too. With the way the rotation is set up with d'lo off the bench, he's have to play like 18 straight game minutes to end the game on the court.

[moonpie]

At this point, I'm legitimately questioning whether or not Russell will close a game for the rest of the year

He needed to come out there. For one Clarkson needed to come back in, no question. But Russell was losing his focus big time too.

What? Lou needed to come out. Russell was hitting big shots and doing a good job in the PNR

[moonpie]

At this point, I'm legitimately questioning whether or not Russell will close a game for the rest of the year

Once he's starting he should be closing too. With the way the rotation is set up with d'lo off the bench, he's have to play like 18 straight game minutes to end the game on the court.

This does not appear to be a problem for Lou

[Goudelock]

At this point, I'm legitimately questioning whether or not Russell will close a game for the rest of the year

He needed to come out there. For one Clarkson needed to come back in, no question. But Russell was losing his focus big time too.

Unfocused D'angelo Russell > Focused Lou Williams

[Jakay]

I don't think so. Lou doesn't make big mistakes in the clutch, and Dlo still does. Don't get me wrong, it was a good fourth from him, but he was starting to lapse, as in, obviously lapse.

[Michael Lucky]

regardless of whether you wanted Lou or Russell in there, Kobe completely killed the flow the offense in the 4th quarter with his incessant chucking as soon as he came back in.

[tugs]

These bittersweet loses...

[Goudelock]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/696185568883900416[/tweet]

[Crooked-I]

I don't think so. Lou doesn't make big mistakes in the clutch, and Dlo still does. Don't get me wrong, it was a good fourth from him, but he was starting to lapse, as in, obviously lapse.

You must of missed Lou trying to take a shortcut over a pick and left Danny Green wide open for a 3 which he made. I'd say that was a big mistake in the clutch.

[moonpie]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/696185568883900416[/tweet]

So by virtue of being a starter, Russell will automatically get 10-15 more minutes? Wouldn't it be better to ease him up on a per week basis?

[Jakay]

I don't think so. Lou doesn't make big mistakes in the clutch, and Dlo still does. Don't get me wrong, it was a good fourth from him, but he was starting to lapse, as in, obviously lapse.

You must of missed Lou trying to take a shortcut over a pick and left Danny Green wide open for a 3 which he made. I'd say that was a big mistake in the clutch.

Ah, it was a gamble too. He just about got the steal. I'm not going to defend that play any more than that, but an extra handlength and he had a one man break. But instead he gave up that three. Kobe blew that last coverage, Bass really could have got to that ball too...

All players have their moments. DLo's just learning to dial in the focus still. I mean, personally, I'm 0% worried that this is going to negatively affect him.

[The Prodigy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/696185568883900416[/tweet]

More robo-behavior by Scott. Everything he does is arbitrary.

I wouldn't get too excited even when Russell is starting. The leash will remain crazy short. If he makes one of the mistakes Lou makes all the time he'll get insta subbed.

[Goudelock]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/696185568883900416[/tweet]

More robo-behavior by Scott. Everything he does is arbitrary.

I wouldn't get too excited even when Russell is starting. The leash will remain crazy short. If he makes one of the mistakes Lou makes all the time he'll get insta subbed.

I wonder what rookie Byron Scott would've thought of Coach Byron Scott? He started 50 games on an absolutely stacked team.

[gts1]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/696185568883900416[/tweet]

More robo-behavior by Scott. Everything he does is arbitrary.

I wouldn't get too excited even when Russell is starting. The leash will remain crazy short. If he makes one of the mistakes Lou makes all the time he'll get insta subbed.

I wonder what rookie Byron Scott would've thought of Coach Byron Scott? He started 50 games on an absolutely stacked team.

Funny you ask that when Russell is averaging 27 minutes per game vs Scott who averaged 22 per game as a rookie

I watched that team and I'll make a couple points, one is Scott was much more ready for the NBA after 3 years in college than Russell is now, he was also purely a shooting guard not a ball handler

Why he got starts is simple. That team was only stacked in the first 7 players and that's if you include Scott... it was thin at the guard spot, when you start 50 games on a team with only three active guards (Magic Coop an Scott) that's not saying a lot

[notinbtnet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/696185568883900416[/tweet]

More robo-behavior by Scott. Everything he does is arbitrary.

I wouldn't get too excited even when Russell is starting. The leash will remain crazy short. If he makes one of the mistakes Lou makes all the time he'll get insta subbed.

This. Remember when Russell was starting earlier this season? He never closed out games then either. Bryon didn't even play him in the 4th because in Byron's rotation - the bench guard starts the 4th. And I assume Lou goes to the bench, so he will start the 4th with Russell on the bench. And lord knows Byron will close the game with Lou, which means Russell will stayed glued to the bench. And he will use the argument that "I just had to ride the hot hand/I had to go with the veteran to close out the game". Book it.