Popular podcaster and media personality Bill Simmons was one of the 19,370 fans present at the Crypto.com Arena to witness the Los Angeles Clippers-Philadelphia 76ers clash. As Simmons was driving back from the game, he decided to film himself, reacting to the Clippers’ 107-121 loss. In the video posted on his YouTube, Simmons sheds light on the importance of Russell Westbrook on the LA team’s roster.
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With the Philadelphia 76ers missing crucial players such as Joel Embiid, Kyle Lowry, and Robert Covington, the Los Angeles Clippers were expected to defend their home turf by clinching a win against the Philly side. However, that didn’t seem to be the case. In fact, the Clippers didn’t even pose that much of a threat throughout the 48 minutes of the duel that witnessed 0 lead changes & 3 ties.
Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell did have some decent performances, recording 20 points each, per NBA.com. But the combined 71-point contribution by Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and Cameron Payne resulted in Ty Lue’s boys suffering their fifth loss in eight games.
After witnessing the 14-point loss from the stands, Bill Simmons pinpointed the main reason of the LA side’s recent dip in quality. According to the 54-year-old, the absence of Russell Westbrook is hurting the team.
“What’s wrong with the Clippers?…I’ll tell you what’s wrong with them. They miss Russell Westbrook. Yeah, Russell Westbrook, the guy who got sh*t on for two years on the Lakers,” Simmons said.
Deep diving into the same, Simmons explained that Russ would help the team with the infectious energy that he brings to the game. Apart from getting his players motivated, the point guard would also get the fans riled up, bringing life to the game. Despite having a smaller role since being shifted to the bench, Simmons believes that the nine-time All-Star was one of the most valuable players on the team.
“They need Russell Westbrook, they need his energy, they need his offensive rebounding, they need him for games like today when the entire team looks lethargic and like they don’t to be there. Then Westbrook comes in and he’s flying around like he just had seven Red Bulls doing a bunch of things, getting the crowd back into the game and changing it… He might be one of the most valuable players on the team,” Simmons explained.
Russell Westbrook was having quite a respectable campaign, coming off the bench and averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, per Basketball Reference. However, on the 1st of March, the 2017 MVP fractured his left hand and has been out since then. While there is no set timeline mentioned for his return, the Clippers coaching staff hopes that the athletic guard can make his return to the lineup before the playoff commences.
After having a nearly perfect performance before the All-Star break, the Clippers’ position in the standings has taken a massive hit amidst their 1-8 run against winning teams since the season resumed. The same team which was competing for the #1 seed in the West, is now 0.5 games away from falling down to the #5 spot.
