Lakers News: By reaching the free-throw line, D’Angelo Russell informs the referees that he doesn’t need assistance.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been adding larger, stronger players to their squad since 2020. The Lakers zigzagged and chose to return to the bygone era of brutal basketball in the painted area, despite the fact that the modern NBA placed a premium on outside shooting.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis led Los Angeles’ frontcourt, so it made sense for them to take advantage of their advantages and outplay opponents throughout a game.

The Lakers have been among the top teams in 2023–24 in terms of forcing fouls and making contact during the game. However, Los Angeles only made eight free throws during the whole game of their Sunday afternoon loss to the Phoenix Suns.

While D’Angelo Russell merely stated that the team plays from the free throw line, he clarified that it is not his personal style of play and that he was not prepared to use the lack of calls as an excuse for the loss. Head coach Darvin Ham was critical of the uneven refereeing.

“I’m not sure,” Russell replied. “I even don’t play to get free throws. I’m not a free throw shooter. I can’t even keep up with everything, so I have no idea how the referees manage it. “I don’t need y’all because I don’t shoot free throws,” I told the referees. I don’t really get into it, so take it how you want. Yes, I am aware that is how we play. We should definitely attack because we are a physically strong squad and many of the players are attackers, but I’m not that kind of guy. That’s not what I do.

Russell doesn’t worry too much when he isn’t marching to the charity line because he gets the majority of his points from perimeter jumpers. This season, he is only averaging 2.0 free throws per game—the fewest since 2018–19.

But because the Lakers aren’t a team that shoots a lot from outside the field, he and the club as a whole need to get to the line more often to make up for the difference from the 3-point line.

When James and Davis are driving the ball downhill and getting fouled or passing the ball to shooters like Russell, Los Angeles is at its finest. It is frustrating that the game against Phoenix was refereed the way it was, but the club will undoubtedly need to find methods to win games even without the advantage of the whistle.

D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James break the previous Lakers record for most points scored on a trip—20 or more.
Despite the fact that the Lakers dropped a crucial game to the Suns, James, Davis, and Russell broke a team record. For the fifth game in a row, all three players scored more than 20 points apiece, shattering the previous record of four.