HOUSTON — Don’t expect to see D’Angelo Russell in next month’s All-Star Game, but he says he should be.
Whether you think that’s confidence or hubris, it’s obvious Russell is playing the best basketball of his life. With the Nets hampered by injuries, the young point guard has raised his game — and helped lift the Nets with it.
Russell poured in 34 points, seven assists and five rebounds Monday to power a 109-102 home win over Boston. He had nine points in the Nets’ 15-0 third-quarter run that blew open the game, and said afterward he should be in next month’s All-Star Game.
“For sure,” Russell said. “I’m a confident guy, so of course I’m going to say that. But I believe that, too.”
Russell’s confidence has been buoyed by some red-hot play. Or maybe that’s the other way around.
At the start of the season, it was Caris LeVert getting early All-Star buzz. But after LeVert’s foot injury threatened to sink the Nets’ season, Russell stepped up and helped right the listing ship.
The Nets are 14-5 since Dec. 7, and Russell has sparked that run by averaging 19.7 points and 7.3 assists. He’s shot 46.3 percent from the floor, 37.2 percent from deep and 96.2 percent from the free-throw line.
“There’s no fear,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “He believes in himself. He’s got tremendous, tremendous confidence. He’s playing really well right now.
“With guys out, we’ve given him more of a green light. We need him to be aggressive. He and I have talked about it, and he was aggressive [Monday]. We need him to keep doing that.”
As more teammates go down, Russell has shouldered more and more of the load. With Allen Crabbe out with a knee injury, Russell has averaged 24.0 points and 6.9 assists in his past eight games, shooting .497/.387/.947.
“I think it gives everybody that freedom, with injuries,” Russell said. “It forces you to step up whatever your role may be. You have to magnify it and come with 10 percent more effort of what you’re given. That’s what it takes for us to win.”
Russell has even improved his effort on defense, never his strong suit. But he’s made strides, evidenced by holding Terry Rozier to 3-of-12 shooting Monday and his team-high plus-4.0 in the Nets’ hot stretch.
“He’s made big strides. I think the analytics will back that up,” Atkinson said. “He’s an improved defensive player. He’s still got a long way to go to be that two-way player we want to help him be, but a much-improved defensive player.”
Still improving overall, at just 22 years old. Russell has already notched four 30/5/5 games, when all other Nets in the Brooklyn era have combined for just five. When Russell is this hot, playing with him becomes easy.
“Just give him the ball,” Jarrett Allen said.
