On Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers scraped past the Philadelphia 76ers in a grind-it-out, low-scoring affair, 101-94. It was an ugly game for just about everyone, but it was a win they absolutely needed to try to finish ninth in the Western Conference and hold home-court advantage in the first play-in tournament contest.
One thing that was pretty about Friday’s game was the history-making moment that came about midway through the first quarter. By hitting his first 3-point attempt of the evening, guard D’Angelo Russell moved past Nick Van Exel for the most made treys in a single season in Lakers history.
Afterward, Russell expressed his gratitude for now being the sole holder of that record (at 0:26).
D'Angelo Russell: "This franchise is one of the most prestigious, so to have my name just to be a part of it, I'm more than grateful." pic.twitter.com/UqOGxJizC6
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 23, 2024
Despite a prolonged cold snap in December, he is having some kind of a season. He’s averaging 18 points and 6.3 assists a game while shooting a career-high 42.3% from 3-point range; in fact, in his last 30 games, he’s at 21.8 points and 45.1% from downtown.
He has come a long way from the inefficient, supposedly immature player he was during his first two NBA seasons with the Purple and Gold.