Over the last month, the Los Angeles Lakers have gone from winning the NBA in-season tournament to losing 10 of 13 games and falling under .500. With a 17-19 record, they’re in danger of missing the play-in tournament, and they desperately need help.
They blew a 13-point lead and lost to the Memphis Grizzlies, 127-113, on Friday by falling apart in the fourth quarter. Along with their inability to stop Memphis from hitting 3-pointers, they had no one who could consistently get buckets on the offensive end.
The Lakers will face the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, and they will get a bit of help. Guard D’Angelo Russell has been cleared to return.
Ham says D’Angelo is a full go without restrictions and will continue to come off the bench. https://t.co/LRoFwn9NJv
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) January 8, 2024
Russell missed their last three games with a bruised tailbone. Although he had been struggling for most of December, he did shoot 51.7% from the field and 46.7% from 3-point range in his last four games.
The Lakers really need Russell to get hot offensively to have any shot at taking down Kawhi Leonard and crew.