Byron Scott, Clippers broadcaster trade shots over usage of Russell
In a season for the Los Angeles Lakers that represents nothing more than Kobe Bryant's swan song, coach Byron Scott has been skewered since Day 1 for his tight reins on rookie guard D'Angelo Russell.
Over the weekend, Los Angeles Clippers broadcaster Don MacLean joined the chorus. "I really wish Byron Scott would just give D'Angelo Russell the keys and say, 'You know what? Go for it man,'" MacLean said during Friday's broadcast of the Clippers' win over the Lakers. "He's still playing tentative because he's looking over his shoulder."
On Monday, Scott defended his approach, which has included sitting Russell in key fourth-quarter minutes and criticizing what he feels is confidence that sometimes borders on cockiness.
"First of all to Don, that's why you're not coaching," Scott told reporters in response to MacLean's comments. “You don't let a guy go out there and just almost embarrass himself or kill himself by playing 35 minutes and creating 10, 12, 15 turnovers. The one thing it can do is self-destruct him."
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The No. 2 pick in last June's draft has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.4 and is averaging 11.9 points on 41.3 percent shooting.
MacLean, a former UCLA standout who played nine seasons in the NBA, took exception to the coaching remark.
"I'm not coaching because I chose not to coach," MacLean told Los Angeles radio station AM 570. "We don't know if I could've coached or not. But that doesn't mean I don’t know the game. I'm not the first person to wonder out loud why he hasn’t just given the keys to D’Angelo and let him figure it out because you're going to set records for losing this year."
The stubbornness of Scott - who has a career coaching record of 446-623 going into Tuesday - on the topic of Russell has been a storyline all season, something he further elaborated on Monday.
"I was taught a long time ago, you just give them a little bit at first, to give it all to them and try to take it back is much harder," Scott said. "Give them a little bit and then give them a little bit more, give them a little bit more is a lot easier."
The Lakers sit at 9-41 - the second-worst record in the NBA - going into Tuesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.