• Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue thanked Russell Westbrook for saving their 2022-23 playoff push
• Westbrook signed with the Clippers in March and helped them remain a top-six team in the West after Paul George got injured
• Westbrook re-signed with the Clippers this summer and will build on his relationship with Lue in 2023-24
The Los Angeles Clippers threw Russell Westbrook a lifeline after a disastrous season-and-half with the Lakers. Russ had minimal value around the league, but he had a profound impact for the Clippers in the limited time he had with them.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue credits Westbrook with saving the team’s season at the end of last year.
“I love Russ. From Day 1… He’s a tough dude, tough-minded, What he did for our season, him, Plumlee, Bones, and Eric Gordon, what Russ did coming in the last 20 games of the season, he saved us. PG goes down and he went to another level. I love him, we got a great relationship. I can be real with him, he can be real with him. All he wants is the truth.”
Stephen Jackson on Russell Westbrook: "He don't know me like that but I'll die for Russ."
Ty Lue: "I love Russ. From Day 1. What he did for our season, he saved us. PG goes down & he went to another level. I can be real with him, he can be real with him."
(via @shobasketball) pic.twitter.com/Pk5oSE9Rlj
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) July 26, 2023
Westbrook averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 7.6 assists in 21 games with the Clippers. He leveled up in the playoffs, carrying the team alone after both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard went down. He averaged 23.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in a five-game loss to the Suns, cementing his spot on the team for 2023-24.
Will Russell Westbrook Be A Starter Next Season?
Westbrook came into the Clippers as the team struggled to figure out their point guard rotation. He had a clear path to being a starter ahead of guards like Terance Mann and Bones Hyland. If the Clippers fail to acquire James Harden, it seems like Russ will likely be the franchise’s starting point guard.
Westbrook’s playmaking may not jump out at you, but it’s easily been his best skill. The Clippers have built a roster around wings but never found the point guard to ensure they’re maximized. Westbrook proved he can do that with a small sample size at the end of the regular season and in the playoffs. Unless Harden is joining, it seems Russ won’t be returning to the bench as a sixth man.
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