Passing The Roses: Russell Westbrook Part 2
Lyons Den affiliate Nick Andre brings his Passing the Roses series to Los Angeles, taking a deep dive into the polarizing career of future first ballot Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook.
It’s not a secret that Russell Westbrook has not been the most loved player in the NBA for the past two seasons. The former All-Star went from being an MVP to people questioning if he belonged on an NBA team. Despite all the odds against him, Westbrook continued to show true professionalism on the court and always looked to help his team win.
In the summer of 2021, Westbrook was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Los Angeles Lakers. As many like myself predicted, the fit was never going to work. Having two ball-dominant players like Westbrook and LeBron James caused issues on the floor. Plus, Westbrook’s shooting struggles caused a lot of scrutiny that he received from fans and the media. It’s safe to say that playing for the purple and gold could have easily taken a toll on the former MVP.
Despite Westbrook’s struggles with the Lakers, what needs to be acknowledged was his availability. He could have easily sat out or requested a trade during his tenure. However, Westbrook was available for nearly every game in his Lakers’ tenure. His availability showed true professionalism and consistency on his side.
During the trade deadline, Westbrook went across the locker room to join the Los Angeles Clippers. At this point, insiders believe that his NBA career is done. He’s no longer a valuable player and cannot impact winning. However, when the Clippers decided to sign Westbrook in a buyout, they believed that they could help rejuvenate his career. Also, Westbrook and Paul George were once teammates with the Oklahoma City Thunder and made two Playoff appearances. As the Clippers were gearing for another postseason run, signing the former MVP could potentially help them in the long run.
Westbrook averaged 15.8 points along with 7.6 rebounds on 49 percent shooting. The beauty of his game down the stretch was his decision-making. At this point, teams were daring Westbrook to shoot due to his recent history of struggles. He may have not made them most of the time but when it mattered most he’d hit a big three or a nice pass to a perimeter shooter.
On March 29 against the Memphis Grizzlies, Westbrook displayed his best performance of the season with 36 points on 13/18 shooting. He later followed up that performance with a 24-point performance against the New Orleans Pelicans. As the Clippers were gearing up for the playoffs, Westbrook was playing well at the right time.
As the Clippers faced the Phoenix Suns, there was a lot to anticipate in this series. Westbrook was facing his former teammate, Kevin Durant, whom the two wreaked havoc in their early careers in Oklahoma City. The only downside for the Clippers was that George was out with an injury, followed by Kawhi Leonard who suffered a knee injury in Game 1. With the two wing players out for the remainder of the series, it was Westbrook who had to figure out a way to keep the team’s chances alive.
While Leonard led the charge offensively with 38 points, Westbrook set the tone defensively that led to a Game 1 victory. He took on the challenge of getting stops and slowing down offensive threats. The highlight of the contest was his late game block on Devin Booker down the stretch. Despite his horrific 3/19 shooting, Westbrook was able to record 3 blocks and 2 steals, which were huge in the win.
With Leonard out in Game 3, it was Westbrook who had full control of the offense as the series shifted to Los Angeles. The Clippers already had the odds against them as the Suns had four All-Stars on their roster. However, a competitor like Westbrook wasn’t going to go down without a fight.
Westbrook recorded 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists in Game 3 followed by 37 in Game 4. It was great to watch him score at an efficient level but to also elevate the play of Norman Powell, Eric Gordon, Terrance Mann, and a few others. However, once again, it’s hard to stop two elite scorers in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. As the Suns’ dynamic duo combined for 78 points in Game 5, the Clippers were sent home in the first round.
This is a piece that shows love to Russell Westbrook. The media will try to paint him as if he’s not a valuable player anymore. However, he shut down the noise with a great showing down the stretch of the season while giving everything he had in the Playoffs. As Westbrook is an unrestricted free agent this off-season, expect the Clippers to re-sign him and he’ll continue his momentum from where he left off.
