The Los Angeles Lakers fell to their second consecutive loss in OT while facing the Denver Nuggets. This was also the second game that Russell Westbrook played while wearing a Clippers jersey.
Westbrook was left on the bench in the fourth quarter and overtime as Skip Bayless observed that Russ’s body language was very similar to how he reacted to late-game benchings while on the Lakers.
Bayless openly questioned whether Russ would have the same effect on the Clippers with Tyronn Lue that he did with Darvin Ham on the Lakers.
NOW WE SEE: Ty Lue chose not to play starter Westbrook in the 4th quarteR, Clips battled back to force overtime. Looked like Westbrook sat at end of bench not participating in sideline huddles or bench cheering. WILL HE START CAUSING LUE THE SAME PROBLEMS HE CAUSED DARVIN HAM?
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 27, 2023
Lue has already expressed that he didn’t aim to get Westbrook on the Clippers and that the signing surprised him. After playing him heavily in the loss to the Kings, Lue was criticized for not playing Terrance Mann more. Playing Mann this time around didn’t lead to a better result but it looks like it led to antagonizing Russ early in his Clippers’ tenure.
What Is Russell Westbrook’s Best Fit On The Clippers?
Westbrook has already shown the positive qualities he can bring to the Clippers, with his playmaking having a huge impact on their 2OT loss against the Kings. Westbrook had 14 assists, with 8 to open shooters. That sort of point generation was missing from the Clippers. He showed defensive effort in the OT loss to the Nuggets, accruing 5 steals in the game.
He is averaging 17.0 points, 9.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 steals through his first 2 games on the Clips.
Russ has to be the starting point guard for the Clippers, but Lue needs to figure out how to stagger the minutes between him and Terrance Mann. Veteran leadership may win out but reading the game to know which one is more needed at a particular point will be crucial. The adjustment period may be rough, but if the Clippers can find a way to utilize what Russ brings, they’ll be title contenders.
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