Skip Bayless gives yet another ruthless observation on Russell Westbrook and LA Lakers team chemistry
Los Angeles Lakers lost yet another game without LeBron James. This time the game was a close one and loss was hurtful. California’s own columnist and Sports commentator Skip Bayless took the help of Twitter and lashed out at Russell Westbrook for missing the game-winner.
LA Lakers need wins and successive wins to challenge for the postseason. But 2 of their most influential players, LeBron James and Anthony Davis were absent due to knee injury and wrist injury respectively against Charlotte Hornets.
The early season acquisition and 1/3rd of the Lakers “Big 3” Russell Westbrook had a chance to get the solo win for the team. He did all he could driving to the rim, shooting mid-range and beyond the arc still couldn’t prevent inevitable loss.
Westbrook scored 35 points in 37 mins with 4 rebounds and 5 assists. But he failed to inspire other Lakers’ players as they lost 117-114 to the Hornets. RW scored important 3 pointers in the dying minutes of the match but missed the game-winner at 2 seconds left on the clock.
After the 2020 NBA title and 2021 injury crises, the Lakers were firm to go big this season. They traded most of their assets and winning players for “triple-double” king Russell Westbrook in the 2021 off-season.
The idea of pairing him with LBJ and AD was to have a lethal offensive team and possibly a Championship in 2022. The first few matches were given for building team formation and role adjustments. But come December when the Lakers couldn’t capitalize the “Big 3” concept, people started to question Westbrook’s decision.
Though Russ is the teams’ 3rd best scorer, top assist maker, and rebounder, his expected impact was not seen in any of the games. He averages 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assist for the team. But he was expected to excel in presence of LBJ in particular.
Though the experiment is yet to be labelled as a “failed” one (as the team is fighting for the postseason still), it is clearly not a “fruitful” one for the team so far. The Laker’s record without LeBron James is 5-9 and without Davis is 10-11 this season. But when both players are absent, the team stumbles to win matches.
Ironically LBJ and AD delivered the 2020 Championship without Westbrook and traded most of that team to get him from the Wizards. The Lakers fan base would be thrilled if Westbrook plays “his OKC days” basketball alongside LBJ and AD. He does have very little time in hand though to prove Bayless wrong.
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