ussell didn't have an opening statement so much as a sustained one. He moved the curve by inches in the first quarter — a clean look here, a contested stop there — and let the game come to him.
The first quarter is where it broke open — russell 18' pullup jump shot (4 pts) (+1.9). From that possession on, the curve never had to be rebuilt the same way twice.
He gave a little back late, but the night still finished at -7.8 — built up early enough to absorb the fade.
Key moments