D’Angelo Russell, whom JJ Redick moved to the Lakers’ second unit earlier in the day on Friday, responded with 18 points for a bench that desperately needed offensive punch and helped the Lakers beat Philadelphia 116-106.
“I just wanted to win,” Russell said in his first response postgame. “So whatever it took, change of plans, whatever it is, whatever Coach needs, try to get the win and be a part of that.”
In each of his next two answers, he repeated the phrase.
“I just want to win,” he said.
Read more: Critical decision by JJ Redick pays off in Lakers’ win over 76ers
Russell, in the final year of two-year, $36-million contract, has gotten off to a slow start this season under Redick’s offense while taking fewer shots per game than at any time before in his career. His usage rate is also at a career low.
“I think just trying to do me within what we’re trying to do. And that’s the adjustment. That’s what I’ve been trying to figure it out,” Russell said. “But as far as taking all of this personal and giving ya’ll something, I don’t really have anything. My approach has been to be professional from day one. And I’m committed to it through not playing, through coming off the bench, through whatever it may be. I’m egoless.
“So I just want to win.”
Redick’s decision came after he benched Russell for most of the second half in the team’s lopsided loss to Memphis to end their five-game road trip. The Lakers lost four of those games.
He said the lineup change was “fluid.”
Friday against Philadelphia, Reddick started Cam Reddish. Reddish gave the Lakers more size and physicality defensively and Russell responded with one of his best shooting nights of the season.
“I thought both those guys starred in the roles that they had tonight. Cam took one shot in 27 minutes but had a huge impact on the game defensively. Paul George never got going at any point in the game,” Redick said. “… And then for D-Lo, I thought he started in that role as well. Big-time pop for us off the bench. A really efficient night for him. And he just played really good basketball.”
The change mirrored moves the Lakers made a year ago when then coach Darvin Ham benched Austin Reaves, and later Russell, in an effort to get more defense in the starting lineup and more offensive juice with the bench.
The Lakers are 29th in the NBA with 21.9 bench points per game. They’re last in rebounds and assists by bench players as well.
After Friday’s win, Redick praised the group for the uptick in energy and effort, two areas he called out the roster following their loss to the Grizzlies.
In Russell, Redick has long said he’s forged a strong bond with the former All-Star guard and received total buy in. Friday, that wasn’t any different.
“I’m not surprised that he approached the game the way that he did and that he had the performance he had,” Redick said. “Again, we’ve asked him to do things. He’s been … accepting of the role. He has talked with me all the time. He has a really strong desire to win and he has a really strong desire to be coached. And our communication level from June 20 [the day Redick was hired] to today has been nothing but open, honest and transparent. And I would assume it will continue to be.
“But he was even just coming to our meeting today, just a professional, great attitude, all of the things that you want. And you see it all the time in the league where guys can take that the wrong way. Like it’s some sort of punishment — like play the victim — and D-Lo didn’t do any of that. And that’s part of the reason that he had the game that he had.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
