The stakes were as high as they could get for a regular season game when the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Los Angeles Clippers last week.
The game had serious playoff implications and it had some added spice, as Russell Westbrook faced his old team. He played well and Paul George knew his teammate would have a big game.
“I saw it from the beginning Russ was gonna have a big game,” George said on Podcast P. “Russ wanted this one. You could see it from the moment the ball was tipped off… I’ve seen Russ when he’s locked in, in Oklahoma. When he first guarded (Austin) Reaves, Reaves threw the shot, he tried to smack the s*** out of it. I’m like, ‘Yeah, Russ not going for nothing tonight.'”
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Westbrook had a terrific start to the game, recording 10 points, 3 assists, a rebound, a steal, and a block in the first quarter. It was clear the game meant a lot to him as he taunted LeBron James after scoring early in the game as well. Russ slowed down after that first quarter, finishing the game with 14 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, a steal, and a block, but the damage was done early on.
The Clippers managed to keep the Lakers at arm’s length the rest of the way and won 125-118. Had that game gone the other way, the Clippers would have ended up in the play-in tournament, so it was indeed a big win.
The Clippers’ Players Wanted To Beat The Lakers For Russell Westbrook
While the game definitely meant a lot to Russ, it did for his teammates too. Bones Hyland said everyone on the team wanted to beat the Lakers for Westbrook and they certainly matched his energy in that game to get the win. Russ then proceeded to finish the season with back-to-back 20-point games and helped the Clippers finish as the fifth seed in the Western Conference.
He is now gearing up for more revenge as he faces his former teammate Kevin Durant in the first round of the playoffs. The Clippers will be underdogs against the Phoenix Suns, especially with George missing at least a few games, but perhaps the players will step up for Russ, as they did against the Lakers, and cause an upset.
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