In the opening contest at Crypto.com Arena, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers. But after the game, Russell Westbrook’s problems became the topic of conversation.
Westbrook had just two points, three rebounds, four assists, five steals, and a dreadful 0-of-11 field goal and 0-of-6 3-point shooting percentage in his second game of the season.
Several times during the contest, Lakers supporters booed Westbrook for attempting a wide-open catch-and-shoot three-pointer. Late in games, he also appeared unsure of himself off the ball, forcing some poor shots.
Westbrook described himself as “solid” after the game to the Clippers and Lakers media. “Solid. tough game. All you can hope for is that.
Reporter: How about you personally, how would you assess your game tonight?
Russ: Solid. Solid. Played hard that s all you can ask for. pic.twitter.com/dUMgVuxnuA
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) October 21, 2022
Paul George addressed the media after the Clippers’ 113-107 victory and defended Russell Westbrook, a former teammate.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Russell. I won’t downplay the wonderful experiences we had in Oklahoma. He did a lot for my professional life. Sincerely, I don’t understand the criticism, animosity, or other things that are directed at him. He ranks among the all-time greats in this game. With the pressure they are applying to him in this situation, it is difficult. To be perfectly honest, it’s not the team that’s really… With their roster as well, it’s not designed for him. Like, it has to be reciprocal. When he had control of the team, he was very easily a 30-10-and-10 player. We must not ignore that.
“I just want him to keep feeling that happiness, that excitement, and that enjoyment, for me. The ability to accomplish that every night is what distinguishes him as unique. I regret seeing that it doesn’t appear to be there for him. But hopefully everything turns out in his favour in the end.
“Honestly, I don’t get the shade, or the hate…He was very easily a 30-10-10 guy when he had the keys to the team. We can’t forget about that.”
Paul George on Russell Westbrook’s Lakers tenure so far.
(via @NotoriousOHM)pic.twitter.com/Q72ixXk2MV
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) October 21, 2022
This occurs just two days after the Golden State Warriors defeated Russell Westbrook by a score of 14 on NBA Opening Night. Westbrook had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Westbrook claimed afterward that he thought sitting on the bench contributed to the hamstring injury he sustained in the last preseason game.
Darvin Ham, the head coach of the Lakers, soon put an end to that.
The Lakers, myself, and my staff would never intentionally put a player or employee in danger, whether it be physically, intellectually, or spiritually. Darvin Ham said what appeared to be a statement. “We do not support that. That is not our concern. We are not like that. Second, Russ and I have talked about what is available. Short discussion We made progress and came to an understanding. And once more, as the team’s coach, we’ll do what has to be done to ensure that our team achieves its highest level of achievement. I’ll stop there and end this.
With no apparent resolution in sight, the entire situation involving Russell Westbrook and the Lakers feels exceedingly poisonous. Before the Bojan Bogdanovic-Pistols transaction took place, the Lakers had the opportunity to potentially trade him to the Utah Jazz.
According to reports, a deal between the Pacers and Lakers may yet happen. It has been difficult to watch Westbrook play through two games this season, so if that’s the case, it might need to be finished shortly.
The article Russell Westbrook’s struggles: Clippers star Paul George breaks his quiet originally appeared on ClutchPoints.
