LeBron: I think Westbrook's decision-making was SPECTACULAR tonight

[lakerz12]

May I recommend a Laker super thread?

May I recommend a "Lakers super thread" on the Lakers board - where this non-interesting thread should also be!

That might work except it’s mostly non-Laker fans that love talking about the Lakers.

[Hoop Heavy]

May I recommend a Laker super thread?

May I recommend a "Lakers super thread" on the Lakers board - where this non-interesting thread should also be!

That might work except it’s mostly non-Laker fans that love talking about the Lakers.

Its okay ... if people want to troll the Lakers ... that's what their team board is for. It's just too much daily garbage on the general board ... "Hey THT made a shot ... we've entered a new era of WoW!" Not worthy of the GB

[kenwood3333]

LeBron needs more help

[The4thHorseman]

LeBron talks good on a teammate, but gets ridiculed and accused of lying.

If he said that Russ had a bad game or needs to play better, then it's him throwing his teammate under the bus.

Just another example of a no win situation with LeBron.

In general for players, these kinds of questions aren't worth answering, or if they do, with some generic type answer. It's not specific to LeBron

I realize it's not specific to him, but I highly doubt if Donovan Mitchell said the same about Gobert after having a bad game, a thread would be started making a BFD about it. There's really no bad time to talk positives about a teammates performance.

[poultryfan]

Savvy move not publicly throwing his teammate under the bus.

LeLeader

[og15]

LeBron talks good on a teammate, but gets ridiculed and accused of lying.

If he said that Russ had a bad game or needs to play better, then it's him throwing his teammate under the bus.

Just another example of a no win situation with LeBron.

In general for players, these kinds of questions aren't worth answering, or if they do, with some generic type answer. It's not specific to LeBron

I realize it's not specific to him, but I highly doubt if Donovan Mitchell said the same about Gobert after having a bad game, a thread would be started making a BFD about it. There's really no bad time to talk positives about a teammates performance.

Depends on the context though. People see Westbrook as a poor decision maker, they also saw that he had a 4/20 game, so LeBron saying he made spectacular decisions is more interesting in that context.

So you would need to think of the equivalent situation for Gobert. I can't really think of one that compares. A totally wild one would be like Gobert attempting 4 3PA, shooting 0/4 and Mitchell asked what did you think about his game, and he says his shot selection was good. That's a little more wild, but something like that.

[KingFox]

Lmaooooo spectacular. I think the Sacramento Kings are spectacular too, Lebron. I feel ya!

[KingFox]

His turnovers and decision making have been embarrassingly bad and there’s no way around it. He’s far from being their biggest problem though. If AD gave even 70% of the effort he put forth in New Orleans, they’d be 6 or 7 games above .500 right now and in decent shape, even without him for the next few weeks. If he isn’t right or mentally in it all the way, there’s nothing that can save this team or get them a title.

AD has the most value outside of Lebron and that’s who I’d be quietly looking to move in the off-season.

[trickshot]

LeBron always backs his teammates openly.

I think Russ was playing great other than that lapse in judgement defensively on Patty Mills at the end.

Russ missed so many ways hot around the rim last night, he needs to work on that but if he just makes 2 of the 10 he missed then Lakers win.

He was 5/19. Even by Russ's already paltry efficiency standards that isn't playing great, not even okay. How do you go 5/20 while being left wide open all game? Bro, this is lowkey amazing to be this inefficient. He's like an anti-curry in gravity and shotmaking.

[canada_dry]

In the 15 games before last night, Westbrook was shooting 50% FG / 36% 3PT, his eFG was 53.5% and TS% was 56.4% TS.

Now, he's more one game 60%+ TS, next game 50% or under TS, so either on or well below average, but he wasn't having tragic games shooting wise (had turnover ones), which is what you want to avoid with his efficiency.

In light of that, if we're simply talking about shooting efficiency, it wouldn't make sense for LeBron to criticize him having one awful shooting game. He only had 3 turnovers, some of his misses were ones you don't expect to miss. The dunk miss, I know how that feels, it's the play you would have made two years ago and you can still get up there, but not quite as up there, but you still feel like you can. I actually didn't really mind that missed dunk, going strong like that is a good decision, his body just didn't cooperate all the way.

The fact that in a game with the "big game" feel he reverts to ineffecient and turnover prone is supposed to be lost on us? Good luck in the playoffs.

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[OriginalRed]

Of course he has to say that. He pushed the Lakers to sign for him so if he calls him out, it'd be like admitting he **** up wanting him on his team. Behind closed doors of course, you already know Lebron, Rich Paul, and Pelinka have been playing with the NBA Trade Simulator to find a way to out of his contract.

[Ito]

Lakers problem is not Westbrook… they have to get rid of melo if they want to save the season.. when wade was on the Lakers he left because things weren’t gon work out Melo doesn’t have that type of personality

[God Squad]

Who didn't see this coming? Westbrook was never a good fit in LA.

[zimpy27]

LeBron always backs his teammates openly.

I think Russ was playing great other than that lapse in judgement defensively on Patty Mills at the end.

Russ missed so many ways hot around the rim last night, he needs to work on that but if he just makes 2 of the 10 he missed then Lakers win.

He was 5/19. Even by Russ's already paltry efficiency standards that isn't playing great, not even okay. How do you go 5/20 while being left wide open all game? Bro, this is lowkey amazing to be this inefficient. He's like an anti-curry in gravity and shotmaking.

Yeah the shots didn't go down. He was off badly but he's not usually that bad.. he's had a ts% of above 56% for the 22 games prior to that one. In that game he was at 28%. Pretty much half.

I don't know if that made him bad. His decisions were ok, not great but ok, his shot was off. In combination it hurt the team. If he was even just average he would have scored 26 points instead of 13 of those FGA. 13 more points would have given Lakers a comfortable win

[poultryfan]

Lakers problem is not Westbrook… they have to get rid of melo if they want to save the season.. when wade was on the Lakers he left because things weren’t gon work out Melo doesn’t have that type of personality

Hotheadedness and douchebaggery aside, Carmelo's actually playing pretty well this year. At least better than Westbrook for sure.

Not that it really matters much. This season doesn't look salvageable for them anyways. 34 games in with a -3.00 SRS and your 2nd best player is out for at least 1-2 months? That's a wrap man.

[og15]

In the 15 games before last night, Westbrook was shooting 50% FG / 36% 3PT, his eFG was 53.5% and TS% was 56.4% TS.

Now, he's more one game 60%+ TS, next game 50% or under TS, so either on or well below average, but he wasn't having tragic games shooting wise (had turnover ones), which is what you want to avoid with his efficiency.

In light of that, if we're simply talking about shooting efficiency, it wouldn't make sense for LeBron to criticize him having one awful shooting game. He only had 3 turnovers, some of his misses were ones you don't expect to miss. The dunk miss, I know how that feels, it's the play you would have made two years ago and you can still get up there, but not quite as up there, but you still feel like you can. I actually didn't really mind that missed dunk, going strong like that is a good decision, his body just didn't cooperate all the way.

The fact that in a game with the "big game" feel he reverts to ineffecient and turnover prone is supposed to be lost on us? Good luck in the playoffs.

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I don't have any desire for the Lakers to succeed in the playoffs. I've also previously maintained that due to durability and his motor, Russ is a solid regular season player, but against more focused playoff defenses, Russ is not the most reliable guy.

[floppymoose]

We're going to see all of the stages of grief from now till the inevitable playoff disaster.

[canada_dry]

In the 15 games before last night, Westbrook was shooting 50% FG / 36% 3PT, his eFG was 53.5% and TS% was 56.4% TS.

Now, he's more one game 60%+ TS, next game 50% or under TS, so either on or well below average, but he wasn't having tragic games shooting wise (had turnover ones), which is what you want to avoid with his efficiency.

In light of that, if we're simply talking about shooting efficiency, it wouldn't make sense for LeBron to criticize him having one awful shooting game. He only had 3 turnovers, some of his misses were ones you don't expect to miss. The dunk miss, I know how that feels, it's the play you would have made two years ago and you can still get up there, but not quite as up there, but you still feel like you can. I actually didn't really mind that missed dunk, going strong like that is a good decision, his body just didn't cooperate all the way.

The fact that in a game with the "big game" feel he reverts to ineffecient and turnover prone is supposed to be lost on us? Good luck in the playoffs.

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I don't have any desire for the Lakers to succeed in the playoffs. I've also previously maintained that due to durability and his motor, Russ is a solid regular season player, but against more focused playoff defenses, Russ is not the most reliable guy.

Right, but thats the point, no?

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[righterwriter]

And if he said the opposite the masses would call for his head being a bad teammate, there is no winning.

He could've said "The result of any outcome is more than just one player's performance. We win as a team and lose as a team. We'll come together next game and try to do better."

In other words, give a non-answer.

That's a lot better than lying about Westbrook playing good, which just makes Lebron look stupid and/or disingenuous.

[Ugly0598]

We're going to see all of the stages of grief from now till the inevitable playoff disaster.

Yeah, I just hope they win a game too.