Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers once again lost a crucial game. Playing against the Houston Rockets, the Lakers weren’t able to get the win and succumbed to one of the worst teams in the NBA. Westbrook and the Lakers were shown up by a young, underperforming team, something that has happened far too often this season.
Russell Westbrook spoke to the press after the game against the Rockets. He noted that a lot of teams in the NBA, regardless of their form, tend to step up their performances against the Los Angeles Lakers. He mentioned that a team’s record or form does not matter, and any team is capable of beating another on any given night in the NBA (2:12 onwards).
"They're going to compete. They're playing the Lakers… Regardless of any team's record in this league you can be beat on any night." @russwest44 on the #Lakers losing to the Rockets. pic.twitter.com/jDzqJIf6W7
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 10, 2022
“You can’t say that as individual basketball players they’re… they’re playing the Lakers, they’re going to compete. They’re not worried about, regardless of what happened to them a month before, 2 weeks before, as you guys have seen, when you’re playing the Lakers, people get up for those games. Its a game for a lot of those young guys playing against other guys like myself that have been in the league for some time. It’s a thing for them. Regardless of any team’s record in this league, you can be beat on any night. We kinda messed around with the game and they had confidence throughout the game and they made some big shots in overtime.”
Westbrook was not the only one who spoke along these lines. LeBron James spoke after the game, noting that teams in the NBA punish the Lakers for any and every mistake they make and that the Lakers have almost no room for error, as has been the case for the entire season.
The Lakers need to figure things out. Westbrook actually played better last night, leading the Lakers in scoring with 30 points, while shooting the ball efficiently and making most of his free throws. But Westbrook is clearly not the only reason the Lakers are failing, as we saw last night.
