After missing a week of action due to a mild MCL sprain in his right knee and a strained right calf, D’Angelo Russell was back with his teammates as a full participant in Sunday’s practice.
Russell did not participate in Saturday’s informal team workout, though he has been working individually through activities like ladder drills and sprints.
“He was really good today,” head coach Luke Walton said. “He was moving so well that I told him, ‘I’m surprised you couldn’t play three-on-three yesterday.’”
Russell said that these injuries aren’t as bad as the sore left knee that kept him out for about three weeks earlier in the season. He is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against Denver, and Walton doesn’t expect him to have any physical limitations when he does return.
“He was moving great today,” Walton said. “Going downhill, getting in the paint, playmaking for people. If he’s cleared to play, we would expect what we always expect out of him.”
Randle Recovering
Julius Randle was also back among teammates despite fighting a bout of pneumonia that held him out of Thursday’s loss to Utah.
“He said the training staff said he’s not contagious,” Walton said. “I won’t touch him, but he says he’s not contagious.”
Randle, who is also questionable for Tuesday’s contest, was off to the side by himself at Sunday’s practice.
Walton said that he was surprised by how quickly Randle’s illness escalated over the past week.
“I felt bad I got on him that bad in the film session the next day,” Walton said.