D'Angelo Russell Adjusts to New Role and Dalton Knecht Thrives as Lakers Start 5 Game Road Trip

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

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27d ago 32:42

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The Lakers are 3-0, and now head off for their first road trip of the season. Five games, starting tonight in Phoenix against the Suns. From there, they'll visit Cleveland, Toronto, Detroit and Memphis. That's three playoff teams, and two that aren't expected to be all that competitive. It's a tough trip, which underscores how nice it is for the Lakers to have run the table over their first three games. Had they lost one or two, the prospect of a 2-3 trip—very possible even if they play decent basketball—brings the team back home at or under .500. Now? There's a good chance the Lakers return to LA with a winning record.

And the way they're playing, with confidence high and Anthony Davis dominating, surely the Lakers feel they can win more than they lose on the trip. So the practical implications of a 3-0 start are there. But make no mistake, vibes matter, too, and the vibes right now with the Lakers are very, very healthy.

There's interesting stuff happening around JJ Redick's early season rotation, as well. It starts with D'Angelo Russell, who is adjusting to a new role in the offense, one that has him holding the ball less than he's used to. Russell, coming off his best game of the season in Saturday's win over Sacramento, is definitely feeling it out. What's the best balance between remaining aggressive, and forcing things too much? What does his role look like when things settle in?

Meanwhile, the bench isn't exactly performing with tons of punch. The exception to that, though, is rookie forward Dalton Knecht. His impact on the offense has been tangible, providing confidence and 3-level scoring potential that opposing defenses have to honor. Could he start to eat into the minutes of other guys in the rotation? He did play critical fourth quarter minutes on Saturday, a big show of confidence from the staff. And he definitely has a skill set not easily replicated by other players on the bench.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: D'Angelo Russell adjusts to a new role.

SEGMENT 2: Dalton Knecht ascending?

SEGMENT 3: Previewing the first big road trip of the season.

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