ONTARIO, CA, Sporting Alert – NBA preseason scores from the scheduled games that took place Sunday night, October 9.
RUSSELL DOMINATES FOR LA
D’Angelo Russell exploded for 33 points in leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 124-115 victory over the Denver Nuggets in NBA preseason action on Sunday.
The sophomore point guard, who seems to have gotten a lot more freedom under first-year head coach Luke Walton, shot 13-of-19 from the field, including four 3-pointers, while dishing out three assists and grabbing three steals in 32 minutes of action on the court.
Russell averaged 13.4 points per game in 28.2 minutes per contest during his tough 80 game rookie season last year, but is being back to have a better term this coming NBA season and Walton believes his point guard has enough about him to average 20 points per game this campaign.
With Kobe Bryant now gone, the experts believe the former Ohio State star, who was the No. 1 pick for the Lakers in the 2015 draft, is primed for a breakout season, and playing in Walton’s uptempo system is the perfect setting for him to develop.
“As a point guard, he’s got a lot more responsibilities than just [scoring],” Walton said.
“But he has the ability and skill to average 20 points a game.”
WILLIAMS LEADS GOOD SUPPORT
Meanwhile, also making a useful contribution in Sunday night’s NBA preseason game for the Lakers was veteran shooting guard Louis Williams, who tallied 25 points on 8-of-15 attempts with four 3-pointers and three rebounds.
Julius Randle had 16 points, five assists and four rebounds, Nick Young ended with 14 points and two steals, while Jordan Clarkson scored 12 points off the bench for LA, which rebounded from the 101-97 defeat to these same opponents on Friday night.
Jusuf Nurkic collected 21 points and 16 rebounds to lead the way for the Nuggets, while Danilo Gallinari scored 19 points, Will Barton finished with 15, Emmanuel Mudiay had 14 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals in the defeat.
Rookie Juancho Hernangomez finished with 13 points and nine boards off the bench and Kenneth Faried had 10 points and eight rebounds for Denver.
In another NBA preseason score Sunday night, James Harden scored 26 points, 15 assists, seven rebounds, but also turned the ball over eight times in the Houston Rockets’ 123-117 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Eric Gordon scored 24 points and Ryan Anderson added 21 for the Rockets, who were winning their third straight of the preseason.
E’Twaun Moore scored 25 points to lead New Orleans, with Anthony Davis finishing with 23.
NBA Preseason Scores
Sunday, October 9
Box Scores
Houston Rockets 123, New Orleans Pelicans 117
Los Angeles Lakers 124, Denver Nuggets 115