The Lakers survived the playoffs by beating the Timberwolves to advance to the first round against the West No. 2 Grizzlies. For Lakers guard DeAngelo Russell, this is a series that has a huge impact on his future. Because Russell's first two playoff trips were all "crotch-pulling", the Grizzlies are his biggest nemesis.
With strong challenges in a contract year, can Russell prove himself? This affected the Lakers' determination to retain Russell in the offseason, as well as the amount of money Russell's new contract.
Why did Russell languish as soon as he arrived in the playoffs? Why can't Russell break the Grizzlies' defensive formation? In the first round, where should he cut in and become a good helper around the Zhan Mei group? This issue of Insight explores these topics.
About "Discerning Balls", this is a column that focuses on digging for details and using data and lenses to interpret details. The outcome of a game is made up of countless details, from which Insight captures attention-grabbing and important details to form themes, interpret them, and form interactive discussions with fans.
How much crotch does Russell pull in the playoffs?
Russell has played two playoff games so far in his career, each time out of the first round.
In the 2017-18 season with the Nets, Russell averaged 21.1 points and 7 assists per game in the regular season, leading the team to the playoffs. Against the 76ers in the first round, Russell averaged 19.4 points and 3.6 assists per game, shooting 35.9 percent from the field, 32.4 percent from three-point range and 2.8 turnovers per game.
At that time, Russell was unjustified, and the 76ers came up with the best defensive resources to counter Russell. At that time, Ben Simmons was not mentally ill and was still a top defender. Jimmy Butler is still with the 76ers and is a flank defensive gate.
In five games in the series, Simmons limited Russell to 11-of-36 shooting 30.6 percent from the field. Butler defended relatively less, but limited Russell to 4-of-13 shooting 30.8 percent from the field.
In 2021-22, Russell helped the Timberwolves reach the playoffs, this time against the Grizzlies. Throughout the series, Russell averaged 12 points and shot 33.3 percent from the field. In Game 6, Timberwolves coach Fincher was desperate for Russell and abandoned Russell in the fourth quarter.
It's no wonder that Finch abandoned Russell, it's really that his performance is so bad. The main defense for Russell was Bane, who limited him to 5-of-17 shooting. Dillon Brooks defended Russell to 4-of-12 shooting, and Jalen Jackson Jr. blocked Russell to 4-of-10 with three turnovers when he switched defenses. Morant is already the Grizzlies' starting defensive weakness, but Morant can also keep Russell on 2-of-9 shooting.
It is worth mentioning that the Grizzlies have almost become Russell's nightmare, and Russell has played with the Grizzlies three times this season, averaging 12.7 points per game, shooting 36.6% from the field and 23.8% from three-point range.
Why does Russell always pull his crotch?
I think that Russell's selling point for participating in the draft was "tall and strong projection", and the interpretation of his weaknesses in the scouting report is still usable today. Russell's biggest weakness is that his athleticism is average, his explosiveness is insufficient, and he does not have the ability to force a straight line to get rid of the defense, so his breakthrough data and frequency of shots under the basket have long ranked low among players in the same position, and he mainly plays by rhythm.
But Russell's sense of rhythm means little in the face of the defender's absolute talent (height, athleticism, reach), and he is not a heavy defender, and he suffers when he encounters the "small steel cannon" stream. Athletic defenders like Russell, such as Trae Young and Damian Lillard, have taken an evolutionary path that has developed range and strong shooting ability. But Russell didn't go that route, and his strong three-point shooting percentage was not high, and some of it came from the dry pull on the counterattack. In positional battles, Russell is slow to shoot three-point shots after blocking.
Like this round, by the time Russell is ready to pull out, the defender has bypassed the cover and chased after him to form a disturbance.
If Russell singles in front of the basket, the opponent is not afraid, and it is difficult for his dribbling to create space.
Because of Russell's characteristics, opponents formed a fixed set of defensive strategies:
Russell wants to pull away singles, whatever, not to mention the top athletic defensive gates, as long as it is not a particularly slow defender, he can basically press Russell in the middle distance.
Give confrontation within the rules and affect his dribbling rhythm and shots. For example, in this round, Alexander stuck to Russell and even got started. Russell started with a throw, there was a confrontation, Russell unloaded, and Alexander eventually covered the ball.
For example, this one, Jackson Jr. contracted, Russell blocked behind the pursuer behind him, although this confrontation is not intense, but Russell must constantly use auxiliary hand card positions in order to create space, involving a lot of energy, and finally the throw is short.
If Russell blocks the shot, the inside player shrinks to take care of Russell's throws and cover people's downfall, while assisting the defender in the middle or on the other side, allowing Russell to be caught in the middle and making mid-range shots, but not allowing him to get close to the basket and assist teammates for layups. Everyone knows that Russell is essentially an attacking guard who puts his shots first.
Like the following 3 rounds, Russell took mid-range shots and throws, and the opponent was willing to give him this kind of shot, and in the eyes of the opponent, Russell's offensive method could not kill people.
What's more, Russell's style of play was accompanied by a large number of mistakes, and the opponent squeezed Russell in the middle, and the goal was achieved.
Look at these rounds of Russell's mistakes.
After Russell blocks, if the two surround Russell, the opponent will have a third player to assist Davis, waiting for the opportunity to steal or make up the defense. In both the Timberwolves and the Lakers, Russell has encountered both.
Looking at these passing errors in the blocking, it is basically the same. After Russell blocks, the opponent will take care of his throws and points for the inside line. Russell fights strongly, and there is a high probability that the strong shot fails. Russell passes the ball, either the hanging ball is broken, or the ball is missed, and the opponent will not give him space to pass.
If Russell plays off the ball, stick to Russell and try not to give empty opportunities. If Russell plays back, limit his advance and interfere with his dry three-pointer.
In addition, taking advantage of Russell's defensive weaknesses, he executes roll call tactics to consume him and hit until the coach does not dare to use him.
How does Russell assist James?
Under the opponent's targeted defensive strategy, Russell once he arrived in the playoffs and fought hard, and the efficiency of singles and blocking attacks that relied on the most plummeted. Russell scored 0.97 points per round in regular season basket singles and 0.86 points per round in blocking (not less than 0.93 points in the past two years). But in the playoffs, Russell's two stats were 0.64 and 0.73, respectively.
Simply put, Russell's ball-carrying offense was scrapped.
When Russell's offense with the ball was scrapped, his offensive threat plummeted, but that didn't mean he couldn't do anything. First of all, Russell himself has to accept the reduction of the scene, and in the series with the Grizzlies, he may not be as valuable as the base-salary player Schroder, and Schroder's defensive speed can at least match Morant, and the breakthrough is sharper. Russell needs to lower his posture, reduce possession and play more off the ball.
Of course, the Lakers also need Russell to be a second or third ball holding point, and when he has a chance to break through after holding the ball to block or receive a pass, he has to be more resolute, disrupt the defense as much as possible, and hit the basket. Even if Russell deflects a layup, at least he can distract the co-defenses and give Davis a chance to grab offensive rebounds.
Russell needs more catch-and-shoot shots, and at least half-empty catches, rather than strong shots against defense.
Russell's ability to catch and shoot the ball without the ball is average, scoring only 0.9 points per round in his career, and only 0.78 points this season, and the Lakers have not designed many tactics for Russell, which are basically designed for Beasley. When James, Reeves, Schroder, and Davis have the ball, Russell needs more off-ball runs, waiting for a chance to catch and shoot.
Like this round, the Lakers started with blocking, and the final series of transfers found Russell, who was open on the left flank, and he easily hit a three-pointer.
The round was simpler and rougher, with James blocking as a hand-held containment defense and Russell receiving a three-point ball from the bottom corner.
epilogue
Overall, this round of the series Russell had to learn from Reeves, don't go up, be more patient, work hard to defend, develop strengths and avoid weaknesses, and be a qualified role player. Given the chance against 1.83 meter Grizzlies backup point guard Tyrus Jones, Russell would have to play the upper hand (though not too many). Doing this, he is a good assistant to Zhan Mei.