The LA Lakers have been off to a tough start this season and Kobe Bryant has struggled for the team over the first four games, all losses for Los Angeles. D'Angelo Russell was benched late in one game and Byron Scott said that a number of players got into a verbal altercation on the bench in the last loss against the Nuggets.
The Lakers have started the season 0-4 after losing to the Denver Nuggets and the struggles of Bryant have been tough for the team to overcome. Head coach Byron Scott said that he thinks the team has a chance to turn the corner and the Lakers have a chance to get a win in their next game, which will be against Brooklyn, who re also winless. Frustration could be boiling over a bit for the Lakers, as reports had "several" players reportedly getting into a "verbal alteration" late against the Nuggets, according to Bill Oram at the Orange County Register.
Oram reports that Scott said that he is not upset about the argument and that he likes "that more than them being happy with loss." Scott said that it shows that the players "care" about winning and that the team can use that as motivation moving forward. The Lakers have a young team playing key roles around Bryant and even with veterans like Roy Hibbert and Brandon Bass on the roster, the team has had some growing pains, including with point guard D'Angelo Russell.
According to ESPN.com, Scott said that while the team is looking to develop their young players, the team also has winning as a priority and that means using veterans at times over the young players. Scott benched Russell for the fourth quarter in the game against the Nuggets and he used Lou Williams on the floor over the rookie. Russell has shown great potential, but he has struggled at times pushing the ball and also with turnovers.
Williams ended up scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter and it marked the second time that Russell was benched late this season. Russell said that he had "no idea" about why he was benched again and that it's "something I've got to deal with," according to ESPN. Russell has started the season averaging 8.5 points, 2.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds and Scott said that Russell needs to just "keep playing" and needs to "cut down the mistakes."
Bryant has been off to a rough start this season and he is shooting just 32 percent from the field, which would be his lowest shooting percentage of his career if it holds up. Bryant had 11 points and made four of 11 shots against the Nuggets and he is averaging just 15.8 points per game in four games this season. Scott said that he remains confident in Bryant and that he is not worried about the shot selection or shooting woes of the guard. Julius Randle has played well to start the season and he went for 16 points with five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block against the Nuggets.