The Los Angeles Lakers are down 1-0 to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference first round, with starting point guard D’Angelo Russell struggling mightily in their 103-114 Game 1 loss. This a trend for Russell when matched up with the Nuggets in the playoffs, putting up abysmal numbers in these matchups.
Including Game 1 and the four losses in the 2023 Playoffs WCF sweep, Russell has averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 assists against the Nuggets in the playoffs.
Out of the 51 shot attempts Russell has made in these five games, he’s only converted 16 at a 31.3% efficiency rate.
H3-24 on 3-pointers, a shocking 12.5% for the man who set the Lakers record for most 3-pointers made in a season this year.
There isn’t much more to add to Russell’s struggles. The worst fact would be that his 11 points on 20-shot attempts in Game 1 is his best statistical showing against the Nuggets in these five playoff games.
Without Russell’s production at guard, there is no realistic way the Lakers can hope to win this series.
Russell’s shooting struggles aren’t limited to the playoffs, as he averaged 14.0 points, on 40.0% in two losses to the Nuggets this season.
While that isn’t as bad as his playoff production, it’s a marked decrease from his regular-season averages. Something about this matchup causes him to struggle.
