Lakers: D’Angelo Russell wants to see team in Finals next year
By Alex Vejar
Even though the Los Angeles Lakers have been on a slide recently, point guard D’Angelo Russell thinks it could contend for a championship next season.
Los Angeles Lakers star point guard D’Angelo Russell isn’t anything if not confident. In a recent interview with ESPN’s Baxter Holmes, Russell talked about going through grueling 65-loss season last year, and how he wants to be part of a winning team.
"“There’s just so much pressure, and some guys handle it and some guys can’t,” Russell told Holmes. “I’ve always been a guy that, I don’t know, just attacks pressure. I want to be a part of this whole thing turning back around. I’ve seen what it was to be at its lowest point. I want to be a part of a playoff run this year … next year, Finals.”"
Strong words from the second-year player, who has missed almost 10 games with a sore knee. The Purple and Gold have certainly proved to the entire NBA that they’re a scrappy team and a force to be reckoned with.
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But with injuries to Russell, Nick Young, Jose Calderon and Tarik Black, the Purple and Gold is currently on a losing streak. If they don’t get fully healthy soon, they can forget about making a run for the playoffs this season, a goal Russell also told Holmes he had for this season.
But next year, barring injuries, the Lakers should be better, even if they don’t sign a marquee free agent. But teams like the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers and a bevy of young, up-and-coming Western Conference teams will be in the mix as well.
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While it’s fun to think of the Lake Show contenting for a championship in just Year Two of the Luke Walton era, fans — and the team — should not expect that far of a jump. The Baby Lakers still have a long way to go, but the future is bright for this team.