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D'Angelo Russell was brought back in for his second stint as a Laker last season, ahead of the trade deadline. The former Minnesota Timberwolves guard was one of the players to have shared the locker room with the late Kobe Bryant. After he departed from LA in 2017, he spent time with the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota before donning the purple and gold again.
Since his arrival, the Lakers have seen a boost in their offense as he quickly cemented himself as the third scoring option behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
This season, Russell has blown hot and cold for LA but seems to have found his groove in the last five games as he averages 27.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists, shooting 55.9% from the field and 53.7% from three-point range.
On Sunday, he drained 34 points against the Portland Trail Blazers as the Lakers notched up a 134-110 win and jumped to ninth place in the West.
This season has seen D'Angelo Russell be a trade-table staple when it comes to the Lakers' moves ahead of the deadline. And if he is indeed one of the names to be shipped, the PG is making a case for himself as to why he's worth every penny, even if it means playing for a different team. On that note, here are some of his top shooting performances in an LA Lakers jersey.
D'Angelo Russell's five top-scoring performances as a Laker
#5 2016: 32 points vs the New Orleans Pelicans
Russell gave up 32 points in an away game against the New Orleans Pelicans, who beat them 110-102. His evening was also comprised of 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Clarkson was equally on the offensive, with 26 points and 3 rebounds. The Lakers missed Kobe Bryant's dominance, as he had an off day with just 14 points and 4 assists.
#4 2016: 39 points vs the Brooklyn Nets
D'Angelo Russell's 39 points against the Nets was his highest-scoring game in his first two-season stint with the Lakers. LA hosted the Nets and notched up a 107-106 win, with the guard leading from the front with 39 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle chipped in with 16 and 14 points, respectively.
#3 2023: 33 points vs the New York Knicks
Russell had 33 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists when the Lakers played the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 12 last year.
With LeBron James not playing, the onus was on Russell and Anthony Davis, and with the latter having a quiet evening with 17 points, the guard spearheaded LA's offense. However, it wasn't enough, as the Knicks edged out the Lakers 112-108.
#2 2024: 34 points vs the Portland Trail Blazers
After slipping up against the Brooklyn Nets, the Lakers bounced back to .500 with a win against the Portland Trail Blazers, and D'Angelo Russell stuffed the stat sheet with 34 points and 8 assists.
The guard had solid support from James (28 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Davis (14 points and 14 rebounds) as the Lakers registered a 134-110 win against the Blazers.
#1 2024: 39 points vs the Utah Jazz
The Lakers' loss to the Utah Jazz came as a shocker as the latter outplayed them 132-126. But there was nothing new about D'Angelo Russell's caliber as a quality point guard, as he equaled his career-best score as a Laker with another 39-point performance.
Studded with 3 rebounds and 8 assists, Russell shone again in the absence of LeBron James, as Davis had an off-night with just 15 points.
