Russell Westbrook is going through a repeat of last season’s bad spell but Paul George believed the Lakers star deserves more respect.
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NBA is back again. The regular season is in full swing and teams have already started their campaigns for the postseason. But in the midst of the beginning of what will be an action-packed season, the Lakers have struggled to find their footing.
Yet again, Russell Westbrook is being trolled by fans and pundits for his poor shooting spell. Mr. Triple Double struggled the entire 2021-22 season and was highly criticized for what transpired in LA.
Now, it seems the bad spell has followed the 6’4″ point guard into the current season. His first two games of 2022-23 have raised questions on his ability to be a starter. However, Clippers star Paul George has come out in support of Brodie.
Paul George believes Russell Westbrook deserves more respect
The Clippers won over the Lakers in a thrilling first game between the two. With their loss on Thursday, the gold and purple have extended their losing streak to 8 games against their arena rivals.
Russell Westbrook had a horrible night offensively. He shot 11 field goals in the game and landed 0 of them. The only points for Westbrook came from 2 free throws. But he did have 5 steals in the game and was impressive defensively.
After the game, Paul George took note of the criticism and shade being thrown at Brodie. He reminded the reporters and public how Westbrook was a regular triple-double guy and a scoring force when he was leading the team. And now that he wasn’t at the helm, he did not deserve all the shade.
PG13 and Westbrook played 2 seasons together with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Westbrook averaged 22+ points in both of those seasons. He also averaged two back-to-back triple-doubles in those two seasons. So, safe to assume, Paul George has seen up close what Russell Westbrook is capable of. Therefore, his support is justified.
The Lakers need to quickly find their footing or witness a repeat of last season
When Westbrook wore the purple and gold for the first time, the entire Lakers fan community was ecstatic. The trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Brodie seemed invincible on paper. But what transpired in the season shattered those expectations. The Lakers won only 39 of their 82 games and could not qualify for the postseason.
This season seems to have started on the same note. They have lost two consecutive games. Their first one against the Warriors was humbling for the entire franchise.
The pressure is adding up on Darvin Ham. He needs to solve the mystery of playing good ball or suffer Frank Vogel’s fate.
Do you think the Lakers can reach the playoffs in 2023?
