D’Angelo Russell returns against Bulls

Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell returned to the team and to the Lakers starting lineup Sunday night against the Chicago Bulls.

Russell missed the Lakers’ Friday night loss to the San Antonio Spurs because of a sore left knee. He tested the knee before the game and agreed with the team’s medical staff that he could play.

The injury, though, affected the way Russell played.

“I tried to be real cautious,” he said. “I think I shot all threes I think. But it’s all good.”

Russell actually shot almost exclusively from three. He took 11 shots overall, nine of them from three-point range. He made two of his three-point attempts and scored one two-pointer.

Bench notes

Russell returning to the lineup ensured that Coach Luke Walton could keep his five-man bench lineup together.

He would have likely done so anyway, as Walton has made a concerted effort to keep his second unit of Jordan Clarkson, Lou Williams, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr. and Tarik Black intact. He started veteran Jose Calderon in place of Russell on Friday. Had Russell been unable to go against the Bulls, Walton said he probably would have gone with Calderon again.

Walton’s insistence on keeping together the second unit has been validated by its steady play.

The Lakers’ second unit has been similarly efficient as its starters on offense, and much better defensively heading into the game against the Bulls. The starting lineups’ defensive rating — which measures points allowed per 100 possessions — was 109.1 before Sunday. The bench group’s defensive rating was 91.7, meaning the starters allow nearly 18 more points per 100 possessions so far this season.

Nance milestone

Nance scored a career-high 18 points Sunday, adding six rebounds and three assists.

“Larry, he’s going to bring that energy,” Russell said. “… He’s gonna get those put-back dunks. He’s gonna do those little things on defense. He sets great screens, does all the little things.”

Nance made several impressive dunks Sunday night, and showed off his ability for the put-back dunk.

“What’s going through my mind is, look if they box me out I’ll probably get back on defense,” Nance said of his philosophy on put-back dunks. “If they leave me alone I’m gonna sneak in there and see what I can get. I don’t think there’s a real strategy to it, just jump as high as I can, see if I can get a hand on the ball.”

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