When questioned about Rui Hachimura’s minimal contribution in the second half of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Wednesday loss to the Sacramento Kings, D’Angelo Russell displayed obvious frustration.
After playing more than 17 minutes in the first half, Hachimura finished with 17 points on 8 of 10 shots, leaving the Lakers behind 60-56. He only managed three points on his lone field goal attempt in spite of playing more than eighteen minutes in the second half, and Los Angeles ultimately lost 120-107.
It should be mentioned that the Lakers were only able to try 32 field goals in the last two quarters after having 46 attempts in the first half. After making 15 3-pointers in the first two quarters, they attempted 17 more in the second half.
Russell’s personal performance, which included only six points throughout the game and a 0-for-6 first half, may have left him even more dissatisfied.
He scored 44 points in a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks two games earlier. Since then, he has shot 33.3 percent from the field (7-for-21) and scored 19 points in total over the course of two games.
After finishing Wednesday’s game with 20 points, Hachimura, who is shooting over 58 percent from the floor, has scored at least as many points three times in six games this month.
This was the Lakers’ second setback to the Kings in a week; before the loss, they had won three of four and five of seven. These losses have lessened the Lakers’
With a 36-31 record, Los Angeles is three games behind Sacramento for sixth place in the league and the last playoff spot.
With 15 games remaining in the last month of the regular season, the Lakers may be running out of time. Hachimura and Russell both need to play more consistently if they hope to make a late-season push and avoid having to participate in the play-in round a second time around.
