Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell has been fined
Although the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers series is over, the NBA made one last announcement on Saturday morning regarding their first-round showdown. The NBA stated that Lakers player D’Angelo Russell has been fined $25,000 for verbally insulting a game official in a formal statement sent out through its public relations account.
The following was stated in the NBA’s official statement:
“Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell has been fined $25,000 for verbally abusing a game official, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. Russell’s actions occurred on the court immediately following the Lakers’ 108-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets on April 29 at Ball Arena.”
Russell was a highly talked about player throughout this series, as his play bounced between two extremes on a game by game. Russell was a different player for the Lakers from game to game, either hot from three or unable to purchase a shot completely. This undoubtedly helped the team lose their five games in the first round.
It will be intriguing to watch what decisions Russell and the Lakers make this summer about the future of their collaboration. In Los Angeles, the guard has had some incredible moments, but his patchy play has also occasionally held them behind. This first-round loss to the Nuggets and the matchup between these two teams in the Western Conference Finals last year served as prime examples of that.
