D’Angelo Russell was thought of as a bust when he made his way into the league in 2015. His first two seasons were as mediocre as Lonzo Ball’s performance in his second year for LA. With the pressure rising, it was clear that Russell wasn’t ready for the Hollywood limelight. The best thing that ever happened to him was being traded to Brooklyn.
The Nets knew what they were getting when Russell was available on the trading block. They found a shifty guard, who was drafted too early, and experienced confidence issues. With the negatives on his resume, it was a gamble to acquire D-Lo, but then again isn’t the NBA all about gambles? Honestly, Los Angeles gave up on him early, and the Nets got him cheap. It’s like Dallas trading for Porzingis; it’ll take a year for them to truly see the value in their trade. With Brooklyn, Russell is b
It’s important to note just how impactful Russell has been this season. The Nets, who were 28-54 last year, now sit sixth in the Eastern Conference as the possibility of maintaining a playoff berth is bright.
- 20.5 PPG
- 6.7 APG
- 3.7 RPG
- 43.4 FG%
His numbers are impressive and shouldn’t be taken lightly, as he’s +5 PPG and +1.5 APG from last year. Why is this worth noting? Russell is surpassing his college numbers (19.3 PPG, 5 APG), and he only seems to be getting better.
Russell slows the game down to his own pace, which isn’t an easy thing to accomplish. His knack for playing off the pick-n-roll opens up the offense and creates space. One thing to notice as Russell continues to perform at a high level is his ability to run in transition. Making that extra pass has been a lost art in the league, but D-Lo makes it a focal point. He’ll pull up from the parking lot if he has an inch of room, making him more of a threat as he’s shooting 37% from deep. Don’t let that unorthodox jump-shot fool you. This man is a problem!
Diving into his last two games to start the second half of the season, D-Lo put up 40 points and 7 assists against the Hornets. He followed that up with a performance of 23 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds against the Spurs. If this isn’t a clear representation of his dominance, then I don’t think you watch the Nets often. Brooklyn only goes as far as D-Lo takes them, but that statement could be overused at times.
Looking at the rest of the team’s scoring:
- Jarrett Allen: 11.2 PPG
- Spencer Dinwiddie: 17.2 PPG
- Caris LeVert: 16 PPG
- Joe Harris: 13.9 PPG
- Allen Crabbe: 10.1 PPG
- Demarre Carroll: 11 PPG
On the contrary, the Nets have seen far more success this season outside of D-Lo. With six guys averaging above 10 PPG (and Shabazz Napier, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Rodions Kurucs a few points under that) it’s apparent that the ball moves faster than any individual on this team. Averaging 27 assists as a team in the month of February should attest to their success this season.
Are they a championship contender? Probably not, but I guarantee in two years my view will change. Keep an eye out for Brooklyn as the postseason peers around the corner.