Metta World Peace was inactive for the second straight game Friday, but Lakers coach Byron Scott may eventually call on him for defensive help, writes Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. The 35-year-old forward, who earned a roster spot in training camp after a season out of the league, will get a chance to play sometime. “Probably later on,” Scott said today about the prospect of using World Peace. “I’m not going to panic after two games and all of the sudden change everything that we’ve been doing.”
There’s more tonight from Los Angeles:
- Rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell tells Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com that it’s not fair to compare him with other first-year players who are already making an impact. With the Wolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns posting two double-doubles and the Sixers’ Jahlil Okafor coming off a 26-point performance, some in L.A. are starting to grumble about Russell. He scored just four points against Minnesota in his NBA debut, and followed that with 13 and two assists in a lopsided loss to Sacramento. “You can’t worry about their opportunity and what they’re doing with it,” Russell said. “Everybody is in different positions. The rookies that are separating themselves are in great positions and are getting it quick. Some people just have a learning process. That’s what I’m doing.”
- The Kings’ Rajon Rondo, a longtime friend of Russell’s, offered advice during their preseason meeting but wasn’t so charitable Friday night, Holmes writes in a separate story. Rondo and Russell both hail from Louisville, Kentucky, and they’ve developed a close relationship, with Rondo saying he would like to “mentor” the young guard. Friday’s lesson was hard, as Rondo had 21 points and eight assists in an 18-point win. “I’ve watched a lot of film on him growing up, just trying to study his pace,” Russell said. “That’s the biggest thing. As far as passing, some guys don’t see it, some guys do. If you see an open guy, you make the pass. But when you move at that pace, things are so much slower and you just see so much more develop. I kind of stole that from him, that pace.”
- Robert Upshaw and Michael Frazier have both earned spots on the training camp roster of the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the Lakers’ D-League affiliate, tweets Evan Barnes of The Los Angeles Daily News. Both players were with the Lakers in training camp.
World peace and nance need to play for defense. Scott will get fired at the end of the year I hope. Runs horrible sets like Kelly and bass at the same time with Kelly guarding th center like boogie cousins. Over practices players and makes them go to hard. His offense consists of pick and rolls strictly and clarkson is the only aggressive one. Russell isn’t doing good because of the ball dominator on the team unlike okafor and towns