The Lakers finally made the tough decision to put Russell Westbrook in the second unit, and so far, it has worked out fairly well.
Westbrook’s productivity is considerably better when he is given the keys to the offense with the bench squad, so it’s not shocking to see this work out so far. But the decision especially paid off on Sunday when the Lakers got their first win of the season.
The former MVP finished with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. He was 2-for-4 from beyond the arc. But most important: His plus-minus (18) in the game was the best of any player on either team.
It was a great change of pace to watch Westbrook enjoy himself on the floor:
Different vibe tonight between Russ and the Lakers crowd pic.twitter.com/duWdXWLs6g
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) October 31, 2022
The crowd was thrilled to see Westbrook succeed, and he got the fans going by pumping them up during the fourth quarter.
After the game, Lakers star Anthony Davis said he approached Westbrook to explain to him how proud he was of him for accepting his new role. Lakers head coach Darvin Ham spoke about what he saw from the guard.
"Believe in me, bro."
Darvin Ham talks about Russell Westbrook and the situation he's going through. pic.twitter.com/X9gQKgSFQE
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) October 31, 2022
Ham said that Westbrook’s performance was nothing short of amazing:
“I told him he’s going to thrive, man … For you to do this, it’s going to send waves, it’s going to help our team … He’s helping us in so many areas coming off the bench … It’s tailor-made, in my opinion, for our group as it’s built for him to be in that role and gain his rhythm … I’m so happy for him, man. Last couple of games, Minnesota and tonight, he’s been phenomenal.”
During the press conference, Ham also admitted that working with Westbrook was one of the main reasons why he wanted to take the job coaching the Lakers.
He revealed that last season, a lot of the disaster surrounding the Lakers was “not his fault” and that Westbrook deserved more respect. Ham explained that he wanted to put Westbrook in a position to succeed, but that the guard would have to put the group first.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK 👂
“One thing that I never will let happen is people outside of my family and people that support me take my joy. I always have fun and embrace this game and embrace the gift I’ve been given to be able to go out and compete." pic.twitter.com/Y4tqlO8QI5
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) October 31, 2022
Westbrook said that he actually had fun during the game.
He set screens for LeBron James, he and Austin Reaves flexed at each other, and he attacked the basket well. Despite coming off the bench, he finished the game with 14 drives, which was higher than his average on the season before the game began.
This was the positive momentum that Westbrook and the Lakers needed.
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