In a recent segment on his podcast, former Lakers guard Patrick Beverley reflected on his run with the Purple and Gold and how it relates to his current situation with the Philadelphia 76ers. According to Beverley, he and his former teammate, Russell Westbrook, were wrongfully blamed for the team’s problems even though they both find themselves in better situations right now.
“What the Lakers over there doing? What they got going? When I left, they blamed me, they blamed Russ,” said Beverley. “Now we on some of the best teams in the NBA.”
Beverley conceded that he has no idea who will be on the roster past the deadline, but anyone is up for grabs at this point and even LeBron James has been mixed up in some rumors. Meanwhile, both Bev (76ers) and Westbrook (Clippers) are on teams that are near the top of the standings and both of them are much better off since leaving the Lakers. It really goes to show that the Lakers’ struggles over the past few years aren’t confined to just one or two players.
Russell Westbrook Is Thriving As A Los Angeles Clipper
Nobody was blamed more for the Lakers’downfall last season than Russell Westbrook. Once it became clear that he was a bad fit for the group, his presence in the locker room became borderline toxic and Lakers fans celebrated when he was finally traded. But even without Russ, the struggles continue for the Lakers, just as their former starting point guard finds success with one of their biggest rivals.
This season, Westbrook has finally accepted a lesser role in the rotation but it’s made the Clippers an absolute powerhouse. Ranked 3rd in the West at 31-15, the Clips have been mighty impressive so far, and Westbrook has played a major role in their success with averages of 11.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game on 46.3% shooting. Outside of the stats, Westbrook has been notably happier with the Clippers and he’s been happy to make sacrifices that has wasn’t too willing to do on the Lakers. Clearly, something is different about his new team compared to life with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Los Angeles Lakers Are Struggling With Their New-Look Roster
The Lakers have tried everything to get back to winning, including trading away some of their key players (like Beverley and Westbrook) in hopes of finding the right fit. But besides a run to the West Finals last year, which resulted in a 4-0 sweep in favor of the Nuggets, the Lakers are still searching for the same spark that drove the championship team in 2020. Currently, the Lakers are exactly .500 on the season, just 25-25 for 9th in the West and hope is fading quickly that they can secure home-court advantage in the postseason.
The biggest question now for the Lake Show is who they blame next with Vogel, Westbrook, and Patrick Beverley already out the door. Darvin Ham has been catching a lot of heat recently, and D’Angelo Russell has been the subject of chatter all season long. Whatever the case, the issues lie deep for the Lakers and unless they find a way to fix them soon, it will be Westbrook and Patrick Beverly who get the last laugh.
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