Scarlet Sunrise: D'Angelo Russell helps Lakers clinch spot in Western Conference Finals

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D’Angelo Russell helps Lakers clinch spot in Western Conference Finals

Former Ohio State one-and-done standout D’Angelo Russell helped the Los Angeles Lakers book their ticket to the Western Conference Finals Friday night. Russell was the Lakers’ third-leading scorer in a 122-101, series-clinching win over the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

Russell scored 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting, in addition to chipping in two rebounds, one assist and one steal. He averaged 14.7 points per contest in the six-game series, but that figure is weighed down by a four-point outing in Game 4.

Russell bounced back to score 15-plus points in the final two games of the series. His signature game of this year’s playoffs came in the Lakers’ closeout game versus the Memphis Grizzlies. He fueled the Lakers’ dominant Game 6 victory over Memphis with a team-high 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting. It was a performance that saw him convert 5-of-9 triples.

Threw the whole team at him pic.twitter.com/C9wGKfxKik

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 13, 2023

Russell was part of Los Angeles’ season-changing trade deadline haul that also included Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, Davon Reed and Mo Bamba. In the process, general manger Rob Pelinka shipped out Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, Thomas Bryant and Patrick Beverley.

The Lakers are 18-9 since the trade deadline. They started the season 2-10 and were 11th in the Western Conference standings with 11 regular season games to go.

Russell maintained his scoring average of 17-plus points after being traded away from the Minnesota Timberwolves this season. Russell has played for four NBA teams, but this season marks his reunion with the Lakers, who took him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 Draft.

The 6-foot-4 point guard earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten honors for his 2014-15 season at Ohio State, during which he piled up 675 points, the most ever by a Buckeyes freshman. He also made 95 shots from beyond the arc that season, 35 more than any other Ohio State freshman has netted in their first year in Columbus.

For the fans 💜 pic.twitter.com/evhYiSNMMP

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 13, 2023

Ohio State 2023 draftees receive NFL jersey numbers

NFL rookie minicamps are getting underway. You know what that means?

Ohio State’s 2023 draftees have their new jersey numbers. Well, some of them got new digits. Others are sticking with the number they wore with the Buckeyes.

Ohio State had six players taken in this year’s draft: quarterback C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans), offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (Arizona Cardinals), wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks), defensive end Zach Harrison (Atlanta Falcons), offensive tackle Dawand Jones (Cleveland Browns) and center Luke Wypler (Cleveland Browns).

You can find out what jersey number each of them will be wearing at the next level here.

Ohio State commits not shying away from conversations about The Game

The pressure is on for Ohio State to reclaim bragging rights in its historic rivalry with Michigan. The Wolverines won The Game in Columbus for the first time since 2000 this past season and now have back-to-back victories in the series as well as back-to-back Big Ten titles.

Michigan has revived the rivalry, and that hasn’t been lost on the recruiting trail, where the Wolverines are making noise with some Ohio State targets. But Buckeyes commits aren’t holding back from talking their talk about The Game.

“We’re serious about the rivalry,” 2024 four-star Ohio State offensive tackle commit Deontae Armstrong told Lettermen Row.

For the full story, go here.

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 114 days

Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 198 days

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