Point guard Russell Westbrook may no longer be in his prime, but there’s no doubt that he’s still a solid basketball player. Westbrook is still a solid slasher, playmaker, and rebounder even at this stage of his career, and he has been thriving with the Los Angeles Clippers.
In the Los Angeles Clippers’ latest game, they managed to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers. Russell Westbrook had a solid performance, putting up 14 points on 6-12 shooting, playing a part in the Lakers’ demise. After the game, Anthony Davis revealed that the Lakers’ plan was for Westbrook to shoot, and it is clear that the point guard managed to punish them.
“Our game plan was for him to shoot the ball. And he made them. He made the shots”, says Anthony Davis after the game.
There is no doubt that Russell Westbrook has a reputation as a bad jump shooter, which is why the Los Angeles Lakers basically let him take any shot he wanted. However, there are times when even bad jump shooters can get hot, and that is what happened today.
As of right now, Russell Westbrook has averaged 15.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 7.8 APG for the Los Angeles Clippers. There’s no doubt that he’s been a good acquisition for the team, and the Clippers seem like they’re in a good position to make the playoffs this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers Misused Russell Westbrook During His Time With The Team
Russell Westbrook didn’t have the best tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he was often blamed for the various issues that were plaguing the team. In fact, an NBA scout slammed the Lakers for using Russell Westbrook as a 3 and D player, claiming it’s the same as asking a center like Wilt Chamberlain to be a team’s point guard.
“Asking Russ to be a 3-and-D guy is like asking Wilt [Chamberlain] to be a point guard.”
The Los Angeles Clippers have clearly empowered Russell Westbrook to play more on the ball, and their surplus of 3PT shooting means that Westbrook can play on a fully spaced-out floor for the majority of his minutes. The Clippers have clearly found a way to get the best out of Russell Westbrook, and it is good to see him thrive in a new environment.
It remains to be seen how the Los Angeles Clippers do in the playoffs. They may not get Paul George back until the second round, which means that there is more pressure on Russell Westbrook to perform. Hopefully, he rises up to the challenge.
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