“Russell Westbrook set 8 screens for LeBron James in 2nd game, didn’t set 2 until March”: Lakers point guard wasted everyone’s season by not doing anything according to plan

Akash Murty | 19/07/2022
“Russell Westbrook set 8 screens for LeBron James in 2nd game, didn’t set 2 until March”: Lakers point guard wasted everyone's season by not doing anything according to plan

It might be many fans’ and experts’ notion that Russell Westbrook was not solely responsible for the Lakers’ misery last season, but he was. Why? Let’s hear Zach Lowe.

Last year when LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers made their intentions clear about onboarding Russell Westbrook, very few thoroughly believed in them.

Although they were the team that had the best odds to come out of the West before the season started, they still face heavy criticism for offloading almost all of the young stars to accommodate the 2017 MVP.

Indeed it backfired in the worst way possible. Despite James’ thorough confidence in that team and his will to prove every doubter wrong, the Lakers fell on their face in their title hunt.

They failed to even make it to the Play-in tournament when they had five future First Ballot Hall of Famers in the team. Davis’ injuries should be at blame at large, and so should LeBron’s coming in out of the squad for some or the other physical issues but what hurt them the most was Brodie’s attitude.

Also read: “LeBron James wants Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis to improve”: Kendrick Perkins hypothesizes ‘The King’ wants Lakers to make significant changes

 

How Russell Westbrook neglecting game plans cost Lakers and LeBron James a year

Some experts might say that it was not at all Russ’ fault that the Lakers failed so miserably, that his averages of over 18p/7b/7a are too good for the third star of a team, that he is just scapegoated by LeBron stans.

But this breakdown by ESPN analyst Zach Lowe of just two components of his game shows us how much better both Westbrook and the Lakers could have done if the former OKC star kept on doing what the coaches were advising him to do.

That is some elite accuracy from corner threes! Imagine Russ shooting 44% holding one corner while the other corner 40 percenter Carmelo Anthony held the other. Both of them would attract at least one player each, allowing either or both LeBron or AD to be guarded by just one man. That team could really have been scary good.

And as far that screening stat goes, if you have been following Russ for a long time you cannot expect that man to help in anything other than scoring, assisting, and collecting boards. I am totally targetting his empty triple-doubles, guilty!

Also read: “$47 million man Russell Westbrook has a lot of bricks!” : Spurs rookie Jeremy Sochan shouts out what LeBron James and Anthony Davis have had on their mind for a full season

Post Edited By: Akash Murty
LA Lakers LeBron James Russell Westbrook

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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