LOS ANGELES — The Lakers have shown that LeBron James’ presence on the court isn’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to them earning wins.
Friday night’s 123-122 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Crypto.com Arena was the latest example, with the Lakers improving to 5-4 on the season without James in the lineup.
After a relatively quiet first quarter compared to the rest of his night, D’Angelo Russell had his best performance of the season: a season-high 44 points on 17-for-25 shooting (a career-high tying nine 3-pointers), including 21 of the Lakers’ 27 fourth-quarter points and the go-ahead basket with 5.9 seconds left.
“That’s D-Lo man, just playmaking, constantly thinking the game,” Coach Darvin Ham said. “He kept his word when I told him to take over the game. I told him in the first half, stay aggressive. I need you to be aggressive all night. And he did that.”
Spencer Dinwiddie blocked Damian Lillard’s step-back jumper right before the buzzer to preserve a stirring victory for the Lakers (35-30), who bounced back from a discouraging loss to Sacramento on Wednesday to win for the 11th time in their past 15 games as they fight to gain any ground in the Western Conference playoff race.
“Obviously, Dame’s one of the best clutch-time performers that the NBA’s seen,” Dinwiddie said. “To be able to make that play was fun. It was a great moment.”
The Lakers and Bucks went back and forth for most of Friday, with neither team opening a double-digit lead at any point in the game, and the Lakers took a 96-90 lead into the fourth and a 110-109 lead into the final four minutes.
The teams kept exchanging leads, with Giannis Antetokounmpo (34 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists) making plays for the Bucks to put them in front 120-115 with 1:30 left.
Russell, who also had nine assists and six rebounds, made a 3-pointer to trim Milwaukee’s lead to 120-118 with just over a minute remaining.
Dinwiddie was called for a foul against Antetokounmpo on his drive to the basket within less than a minute left, but Ham successfully challenged the play – with Antetokounmpo later banking in a floater to put the Bucks ahead 122-118.
Russell kept leading the Lakers, making an and-one floater to pull them within one (122-121) with 39 seconds left.
“Just attack,” Russell said of the final play. “We knew what we were trying to do, what we were trying to get to. Looked like they fumbled the coverage a little bit. Just trying to be aggressive at an earlier time to give us time if we missed the shot, to get a rebound, things like that. We got it. Made it. Got a stop. Huge.”
Anthony Davis (22 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, three blocked shots) and Rui Hachimura (15 points, five rebounds) forced Lillard (28 points, 12 assists) to miss a layup with 24 seconds left.
On the Lakers’ ensuing possession, Russell drove against Lillard for the leaning 13-foot floater to put the Lakers ahead by one. Dinwiddie, who made his first start in place of James, then delivered his game-clinching block of Lillard on the Bucks’ final possession.
“Usually, he’s super proficient with the left step back,” Dinwiddie said of his block on Lillard. “So I was trying to cut him off, get him back going right. He took a couple [of] dribbles, and then just didn’t have the same type of separation. So when he went to the step-back pull-up there, I felt he was close enough. And I just jumped to try to contest a shot. And fortunately, I was able to get the block as well.”
Russell again raised his offensive output when forced to play without James or Davis, shooting confidently while also distributing the ball effectively on offense. He hit four 3-pointers while staking the Lakers to a halftime lead, and they stayed in front throughout the second half until Antetokounmpo and Lillard took over.
“D-Lo just stepped up and won us the game, and obviously with Spence with the defense on that last possession,” said Austin Reaves, who scored 18 points for the Lakers. “Just seeing D-Lo take over the game, I constantly kept telling him in timeouts, ‘Take us home.’”
Russell was nearly as nonchalant afterward about his biggest game of the season, but he acknowledged that an NBA career including four trades and annual trade rumors swirling around him has honed his focus for tough situations.
“On the floor, I’ve always felt like I was capable of doing things, (and) getting hot makes it a little more exciting,” Russell said. “Off the floor, obviously you all know what I’ve been through. Public humiliation has done nothing but mold me into the killer that you all see today. I never lack confidence. I never fear confrontation. I want all the smoke. … I just feel confident in what I bring to the basketball game, so whatever room I walk in, I’m confident.”
James sat out with left ankle peroneal tendinopathy – the same injury designation he’s consistently been on the team’s injury report with since late December.
Friday was the seventh game James has missed this season because of a left ankle injury, with Ham saying James’ status is day-to-day.
Davis injured his left shoulder after attempting to take a charge from Antetokounmpo during the game and was seen wearing a protective wrap in the locker room postgame.
“Sore,” Davis said. “Couldn’t really move it after that. But I’m gonna get some treatment and see how I feel [Saturday].”
D'Angelo Russell WENT OFF for 44 PTS and scored the game-winner to give the Lakers the edge over the Bucks!
🔥 44 PTS
🔥 9 3PM
🔥 9 AST
🔥 6 REB▪️ Russell joins LeBron James and Kobe Bryant as the only players in Laker history with 9 3PM in a game pic.twitter.com/HYC2LQOGVx
— NBA (@NBA) March 9, 2024
D'Angelo Russell 🗣️ "I never lacked confidence, I never feared confrontation, I want all the smoke… I just feel confident in what I bring to the basketball game." pic.twitter.com/37NC2Ugu6w
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 9, 2024
Dinwiddie's lockdown defense seals the #Lakers win against the Bucks! 🔒 pic.twitter.com/wpGRPO2G8k
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 9, 2024
.@SDinwiddie_25 spoke with @LakersReporter following his defensive play that sealed the win for the #LakeShow. pic.twitter.com/zK7dTyJmd0
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 9, 2024
Anthony Davis speaks on D'Angelo Russell's 44-point performance and provides an update on his left shoulder. pic.twitter.com/kwMGe9TDeW
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 9, 2024
Darvin Ham on D'Angelo Russell: "He's kept his word when I told him to takeover the game." pic.twitter.com/U7MwQamGDb
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 9, 2024