The Los Angeles Lakers have had an incredibly tough start to the season. They finally picked up their first win of the season over the Denver Nuggets in a great team performance that saw the players finally convert on 3-point opportunities. One of the reasons for success was Russell Westbrook coming off the bench and revitalizing what has been a very poor Lakers’ bench unit.
Teammate and old rival Patrick Beverley has heaped praise on Russ for being unselfish and moving to the bench and understanding that it doesn’t matter if he isn’t starting the game as long as he is the one finishing it.
“Russ is the ultimate professional. It’s not about who starts the game, it’s about who finishes. For him, being with the second unit, it gives him a ton of space, obviously, because they’re super small, where he can be him. Obviously playing with LeBron and AD, with guys who have to have the ball for teams to be successful.”
The deficiencies on the roster and in Russ’s skill set won’t disappear overnight, but this should aid the Lakers’ chances of putting Westbrook in the best possible situation with his current struggles.
Will ‘Sixth Man’ Russ Make The Lakers A Playoff Contender?
Regardless of what anyone has to say about Westbrook, having a player of his caliber off the bench is a fantastic asset. He has the ability to be the primary facilitator and offensive option when he’s not sharing the court with LeBron James and Anthony Davos, which helps him regain his lost value in a contract year and helps the Lakers have someone capable of running an offense when LeBron is on the bench.
In closing lineups, Russ could be a threat to cut to the basket or be the one trusted with creating a shot. That is still going to be more awkward, but the Lakers will be in a position to win way more games if they stagger LeBron and Russ’s minutes throughout the game.
