D'Angelo Russell Opens Up On Mavericks Locker Room's Stance After Jason Kidd Repeatedly Snubbed Him for Cooper Flagg 

Dallas Mavericks guard D'Angelo Russell bounced back on Sunday with a 24-point game against the Toronto Raptors. Russell didn't get a chance in the first two games after coach Jason Kidd opted to play him a combined 24 minutes. However, Russell made it count after a prolonged stretch of 29 minutes despite a slow start.

He ended the game with five rebounds, six assists and three steals, while shooting 8 of 18. It wasn't just a comeback for Russell, but the team, too, as the Mavericks won their first game of the season, beating Toronto 139-129. Russell stayed ready for his opportunity after Kidd snubbed him for consecutive games in favor of Cooper Flagg starting at point guard.

Kidd even claimed the Mavericks were "short-handed" at point guard, despite Russell's availability. The veteran guard opened up for the first time on his lack of playing time after Sunday's game, saying:

"He’s (Jason Kidd) got a lot going on, figuring out rotations, subs, everything. I think my teammates had my back from the jump, telling me to be myself, things like that. ... Everybody pitched in on this one. Wasn’t just me."

Joey Mistretta

@JoeyMistretta_

Mavericks guard D’Angelo Russell on his minutes early in the season: “He’s (Jason Kidd) got a lot going on, figuring out rotations, subs, everything. I think my teammates had my back from the jump, telling me to be myself, things like that… Everybody pitched in on this one.

Russell had tremendous support from the locker room after being overlooked in the rotation. It paid off at the right time, giving Kidd ample reason to play the veteran guard frequently with his latest performance.

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Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg and Jason Kidd dish on D'Angelo Russell's 24-point game

Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg and Jason Kidd showed confidence in D'Angelo Russell after Sunday's performance. Davis, who has been teammates with Russell for two years in LA between 2023 and 2024, said:

"True professional. He's been in the league long enough. Never wavered he stayed with the team ... stayed with himself, stayed locked in and came and made plays for us today."

Noah Weber

@noahweber00

Anthony Davis on D’Angelo Russell’s game tonight after having sporadic minutes in the first two games: “True professional…He stays with himself, stays locked in, and came and made plays for us today…He came in and definitely changed the game…”

Meanwhile, Cooper Flagg credited D'Angelo Russell for an instant impact and coach Jason Kidd credited him for his two-way play.

Joey Mistretta

@JoeyMistretta_

Cooper Flagg on D’Angelo Russell’s game: “That was D’Lo, he showed up in a big way… As soon as he got in there just had a high impact on the game.”

"That's D-Lo at his best. Being able to playmake, score and then find guys. I thought he did a great job, not just on the offensive end but also on the defensive end," Kidd said.

Mike Curtis

@MikeACurtis2

Jason Kidd on D'Angelo Russell: "That's D-Lo at his best. Being able to playmake, score and then find guys. I thought he did a great job, not just on the offensive end but also on the defensive end."

The Mavericks need to lean more on resources like D'Angelo Russell while Kyrie Irving recovers from his ACL surgery. With their jumbo lineup featuring Cooper Flagg at the point of attack, their opponents have been able to force turnovers frequently, impacting Dallas's offensive momentum.

Russell solves those issues by getting them through the halfcourt with pace, thanks to his ball-handling. It was also beneficial for Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis. The duo had the ball in their preferred spots to have an explosive impact on the game.

Flagg had 22 points, four rebounds and four assists on 57.1% shooting, while Davis tallied 25 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks, shooting 11 of 14.