Westbrook the past 8 games

tamaraw08 · Post #1 » by **tamaraw08** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 2:15 pm

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Russell Westbrook last 8 games:<br><br>23.5 PPG<br>6.9 RPG<br>8.9 APG<br>50/36/72%<br><br>He is +39 in that span, the highest +/- by a Lakers starter. <a href="https://t.co/vz38lnGb30">pic.twitter.com/vz38lnGb30</a></p>— StatMuse (@statmuse) <a href="

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?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Post #2 » by **Kilroy** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 5:29 pm

Which begs the question... If Westbrook has been that statistically good, and AD's and LeBron's stats have also been decent, then why does this team still look really shaky at best?

Point being, RW and AD, and sometimes LeBron, are all guys who can routinely have phenomenal individual stats, and still have a team that doesn't perform all that well.
Honestly, I don't fully understand the phenomenon, but I just don't think you can look at the stat sheet that closely on this team.

That said, Westbrook was pretty great against Boston... So maybe it's all coming together.

Really, on a team with this much talent on paper, there really shouldn't be any reason for LeBron and AD to take it quite as easy as they have been... It should just BE easy, without it really looking like it.
So maybe the chemistry is starting to work on the court.

SlimShady83 · Post #3 » by **SlimShady83** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 7:54 pm

IN B4 WESTBROOK MVP CHANTS BEGIN ...

Also he doing way better then Schroder ever could as a Laker and Kuzma and the rest etc and I love King Kuzma, don't know why.

SlimShady83 · Post #4 » by **SlimShady83** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 7:56 pm

Kilroy wrote:Honestly, I don't fully understand the phenomenon, but I just don't think you can look at the stat sheet that closely on this team.

You can with Westbrook as it doesn't matter if he gets a triple double with 20+ points OR not as people will still look and say hey he got 9 TO"s, he is bad etc ... The TO"s is all everyone looks at with Russ and I feel bad for him for that.

If it were Kobe doing the above no one would care about his 9 TO"s

Pythagoras · Post #5 » by **Pythagoras** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 8:47 pm

LeGM and Pelinka took a lot of flack for the RW trade, so now they deserve props now that it looks like Russ is playing like an All Star.

Reasons why it looked shaky early:

Vogel playing them too many minutes with DJ and Bradley both freaking starting

I think the bold has been the biggest issue though. Just cutting DJ from the rotation has yielded massive returns on the offensive side of the ball. I actually think Bradley is an even bigger net negative than DJ, and Frank should be drug tested for continuing to play him.

Nevertheless, with good health from the big 3 and no DJ, I expect this team to look a lot better moving forward.

SlimShady83 · Post #6 » by **SlimShady83** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 9:03 pm

Pythagoras wrote:Nevertheless, with good health from the big 3 and no DJ, I expect this team to look a lot better moving forward.

Lakers should take a look at letting DJ go and have another spot open for another big who could be more useful, I'm sure there are some out there

tamaraw08 · Post #7 » by **tamaraw08** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 9:35 pm

Kilroy wrote:Which begs the question... If Westbrook has been that statistically good, and AD's and LeBron's stats have also been decent, then why does this team still look really shaky at best?

Point being, RW and AD, and sometimes LeBron, are all guys who can routinely have phenomenal individual stats, and still have a team that doesn't perform all that well.
Honestly, I don't fully understand the phenomenon, but I just don't think you can look at the stat sheet that closely on this team.

That said, Westbrook was pretty great against Boston... So maybe it's all coming together.

Really, on a team with this much talent on paper, there really shouldn't be any reason for LeBron and AD to take it quite as easy as they have been... It should just BE easy, without it really looking like it.
So maybe the chemistry is starting to work on the court.

Russ has been statistically good for the past 8-10 games or so, not since game 1 where was terrible at shooting and turning the ball over.
Losing Lebron for like 8 games esp when Westbrook was struggling was one of the main reasons why they lost many easy games.
All three has been are looking good for the Offense stats but it’s not like all three are defending great along with their teammates who are more about shooting than making stops.

Pythagoras · Post #8 » by **Pythagoras** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 9:42 pm

SlimShady83 wrote:
Pythagoras wrote:Nevertheless, with good health from the big 3 and no DJ, I expect this team to look a lot better moving forward.

Lakers should take a look at letting DJ go and have another spot open for another big who could be more useful, I'm sure there are some out there

There honestly are. Seriously, Gorgui Dieng is just one example. He’s currently buried on the Hawks bench. Just offer DJ and a couple of seconds for him.

Any semi useful stretch 5 or big wing should be in DJ’s spot.

tamaraw08 · Post #9 » by **tamaraw08** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 9:43 pm

SlimShady83 wrote:
Kilroy wrote:Honestly, I don't fully understand the phenomenon, but I just don't think you can look at the stat sheet that closely on this team.

You can with Westbrook as it doesn't matter if he gets a triple double with 20+ points OR not as people will still look and say hey he got 9 TO"s, he is bad etc ... The TO"s is all everyone looks at with Russ and I feel bad for him for that.

If it were Kobe doing the above no one would care about his 9 TO"s

The first 10 games or so, Westbrook was crucified because of his numerous turnovers but the past 10 games esp the 2nd halves, he has done a pretty good job taking care of the ball and yet almost everyone else has gotten enough credit when they win.
The Boston game, he was able to carve up their defense with layups because he accurately read that they dropped back to prevent his lob passes for dunks to AD.

tamaraw08 · Post #10 » by **tamaraw08** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 9:52 pm

Pythagoras wrote:LeGM and Pelinka took a lot of flack for the RW trade, so now they deserve props now that it looks like Russ is playing like an All Star.

Reasons why it looked shaky early:

RW early season shooting slump
Lebron has missed half the season
Needed time together to gain chemistry
Vogel playing them too many minutes with DJ and Bradley both freaking starting
Bazemore, who was supposed to be one of the team’s 3 and D wings, has been terrible
Ariza, who was supposed to be another one of the team’s 3 and D wings, has been hurt

I think the bold has been the biggest issue though. Just cutting DJ from the rotation has yielded massive returns on the offensive side of the ball. I actually think Bradley is an even bigger net negative than DJ, and Frank should be drug tested for continuing to play him.

Nevertheless, with good health from the big 3 and no DJ, I expect this team to look a lot better moving forward.

Losing KCP, Kuzma and Caruso is just too much for Vogel to bear and Frank has fallen in love with what Bradley did 2 seasons ago that he doesn’t trust Ellington at all smh. According to Lakers Nation Trevor Lane, Wayne is not a great lock up defender, but he is decent enough to hold his own.
I was also hoping that they give Reaves more minutes too. I’m sorry but I just don’t like the fit with THT who is struggling not only with his shooting but also over dribbling to create for his own shot instead of moving the ball or cutting.

Pythagoras · Post #11 » by **Pythagoras** » Thu Dec 9, 2021 10:00 pm

tamaraw08 wrote:
Pythagoras wrote:LeGM and Pelinka took a lot of flack for the RW trade, so now they deserve props now that it looks like Russ is playing like an All Star.

Reasons why it looked shaky early:

RW early season shooting slump
Lebron has missed half the season
Needed time together to gain chemistry
Vogel playing them too many minutes with DJ and Bradley both freaking starting
Bazemore, who was supposed to be one of the team’s 3 and D wings, has been terrible
Ariza, who was supposed to be another one of the team’s 3 and D wings, has been hurt

I think the bold has been the biggest issue though. Just cutting DJ from the rotation has yielded massive returns on the offensive side of the ball. I actually think Bradley is an even bigger net negative than DJ, and Frank should be drug tested for continuing to play him.

Nevertheless, with good health from the big 3 and no DJ, I expect this team to look a lot better moving forward.

Losing KCP, Kuzma and Caruso is just too much for Vogel to bear and Frank has fallen in love with what Bradley did 2 seasons ago that he doesn’t trust Ellington at all smh. According to Lakers Nation Trevor Lane, Wayne is not a great lock up defender, but he is decent enough to hold his own.
I was also hoping that they give Reaves more minutes too. I’m sorry but I just don’t like the fit with THT who is struggling not only with his shooting but also over dribbling to create for his own shot instead of moving the ball or cutting.

I worried that might be the case with Frank. Dude is living in the past with Bradley, who isn’t good enough to be a regular rotation player anymore.

I’m with you on Reaves. He should getting more PT. If THT is allowed to play through mistakes than so should he. Reaves has the potential to grow into a homegrown 3 and D wing for this team. Guys like that are invaluable.