Russell Westbrook to blame for Rockets’ playoff exit? New Wizards acquisition viewed as scapegoat by Houston

Samir Mehdi | 05/12/2020
Russell Westbrook challenges the crowd after winning Game 1 of a playoff matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers

Sources believe that Russell Westbrook is being made out to be the scapegoat for Houston’s Playoff exit in the Bubble.

Russell Westbrook has had a rollercoaster of year to say the least. To start the year off, the Rockets lost Harden in January and Westbrook got a taste of what it’s like to be the number 1 option once again.

This wouldn’t last long as the 2019-20 season was put on a hiatus due to COVID-19. A few months later, Westbrook was diagnosed with having COVID. This was right before the Bubble commenced.

Also Read: “James Harden prefers John Wall over Russell Westbrook?”: Rockets superstar fancies former Wizards star as running mate

Sources close to Russell believe is unfairly being blamed for Houston’s Playoff exit.

The Houston Rockets once again failed to reach the NBA Finals, despite Daryl Morey’s best efforts in trying to land a second star for Harden.

This loss can be attributed to many aspects. The fact that Houston did not have a single big man who could guard Anthony Davis is most certainly one of them.

Though the Rockets as a whole struggled, it is being reported that sources close to Russell Westbrook believe he is being made out to be the scapegoat in this whole ordeal.

Westbrook’s shooting woes were being used to blame the loss on him. The Lakers loss in the 2nd round was reportedly the ‘tipping point’ for both Harden and Russ.

Is the Rockets’ second round exit attributed solely to Russell Westbrook?

The Rockets as a whole performed quite poorly. Neither the role players nor the stars of the team stepped up during the series.

Also Read: ‘I f*** with Russ’: Damian Lillard denies any bad blood between himself and Russell Westbrook

The Rockets tried pairing Harden up with Dwight Howard, then Chris Paul, and most recently, Russell Westbrook. None of these tandems resulted in even a Finals berth.

Something the Rockets front office could look into is that Harden is the common denominator in all 3 of these All-Star pairings.

Post Edited By: Amulya Shekhar
Houston Rockets James Harden Russell Westbrook

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Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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