Lakers' D'Angelo Russell Injures Ankle in Win vs. Warriors: 'Pretty Unlucky for Me'
Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell suffered a sprained ankle in Thursday's 124-111 win over the Golden State Warriors.
Head coach Darvin Ham said after the game Russell's X-rays came back negative and he will be reevaluated on Friday.
The injury occurred in the first quarter when Russell stepped backward to inbounds the ball and came down on Donte DiVincenzo's foot. He was subbed out of the game and didn't return.
"Wrong place, wrong time definitely," Russell told reporters. "Pretty unlucky for me."
Russell played a significant role in the Minnesota Timberwolves' success last season, averaging 18.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists while shooting 41.1 percent from the floor and 34 percent from deep in 65 games.
Last season's success came after an unsettled opening to his time in Minnesota. The Timberwolves acquired the 26-year-old in a trade with the Golden State Warriors during the 2019-20 season to complement Karl-Anthony Towns, but that didn't pan out as expected because of injuries and the COVID-19 shutdown.
Russell appeared in 54 games for the Timberwolves during the 2022-23 campaign before being traded to the Lakers ahead of the NBA's Feb. 9 deadline. He averaged 17.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists in that span while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor and 39.1 percent from deep.
In his first three games with the Purple and Gold before the All-Star break, Russell averaged 13.2 points on 37.5 percent three-point shooting and 5.7 assists.
When Russell misses time, expect Dennis Schröder and Austin Reaves to see more playing time at the point.
The Lakers are 13th in the Western Conference with a 28-32 record. They're roster is deeper following all of their activity at the trade deadline, but Russell is a key starter they will need as they try to make a run at the playoffs down the stretch.
