Russell Westbrook SPICY post game interview

[Harry Garris]

Their roster isn't optimized, but that's mostly because Russ and Lebron are horrible fits. Russ needs the ball in his hands to be even close to a positive player. And by doing that you're taking the ball out of the hands of the best decision maker in NBA history. Russ is one of the worst off ball players in the league. I couldn't imagine a worse player to pair with Lebron than Russ.

You can just say it, he is the worst off ball player in the league. He doesn't cut, screen, or involve himself in any way and he can't hit a jump shot no matter how wide open you leave him.

[Harry Garris]

This dude LITERALLY said "I've earned the right to close games cause...NUMBERS"




You can't make this stuff up!

That's what he cares about. His numbers.

Durant left him in OKC.
Houston & Harden dumped him.
Washington & Beal dumped him.

And now it's LeBron & Davis's turn to dump him.

Not a coincidence. He chases his stats, not winning basketball games.

The issue is, the Lakers probably can't dump him. They got a bad case of Westbrickstipation.

This is something that needs to be said. Russ doesn't care about winning. At least not if he doesn't get the credit for doing it. I've never seen a player who was actually committed to winning who gave such poor effort on defense and anytime he didn't have the ball in his hands.

[NyKnicks1714]

Their roster isn't optimized, but that's mostly because Russ and Lebron are horrible fits. Russ needs the ball in his hands to be even close to a positive player. And by doing that you're taking the ball out of the hands of the best decision maker in NBA history. Russ is one of the worst off ball players in the league. I couldn't imagine a worse player to pair with Lebron than Russ.

You can just say it, he is the worst off ball player in the league. He doesn't cut, screen, or involve himself in any way and he can't hit a jump shot no matter how wide open you leave him.

And the thing is he's been bad with the ball in his hands too.

[mccluskey]

Someone/ones should’ve already been fired for this trade. Terrible, terrible fit/player/contract. Awful

well you'd have to fire your best player and we all know that's not gonna happen

I'd probably fire Pelinka anyways for not having the guts to tell LeBron and his buddies to stay out of the GM role, but who knows what kind of pressure he had on him to get WB to LA.

[John Murdoch]

Russ is only 2 players away from worst FT % in the leauge

[JRoy]

Russ is only 2 players away from worst FT % in the leauge

But leads the league in scowls/made shot

[RamonSessions7]

Someone/ones should’ve already been fired for this trade. Terrible, terrible fit/player/contract. Awful

well you'd have to fire your best player and we all know that's not gonna happen

I'd probably fire Pelinka anyways for not having the guts to tell LeBron and his buddies to stay out of the GM role, but who knows what kind of pressure he had on him to get WB to LA.

Yep. That’s the issue.

Still don’t know how everyone was so blind to how bad this guy is

[dirkforpres]

People hate on Russ a lot, but I just feel bad for him more than anything. He seems like a genuine guy playing in the most difficult city next to the most difficult star. I hope he goes somewhere else (not Dallas) and plays at least as good as he did in Washington.

That being said, I’m loving the Lakers struggle

[kobe808lak]

Was a terrible move to bring him in... and in hindsight is even worse.

LeGM? This is what happens when you bend over too much for your stars. Pelinka needed to have a backbone and just say no... here we are.

[Larry_Russell]

Now that Lebron has destroyed the Lakers, what team is he going to next?
Clippers?
Portland to play with Dame?
Brooklyn to join KD and IRving?

[Nate505]

Hey man, this ain't fair man, he's just being scapegoated for everything man, you can't criticize him like this man, he's a human being with feelings too man, why you gotta be talking about him all the time like this man, he still gets triple doubles man, basketball players shouldn't be subject to any media attention man.

[Nate505]

For as much hate as he gets, the fact is, the Lakers are POORLY designed around Westbrook.

Westbrook has to be ultra high usage, have the ball in his hands at all times, and have the pieces around him that allows him to be himself. Lakers have none of those players.

Lakers FO traded for him knowing damn well they didnt have the pieces around him or playstyle to make him work. This isnt all on Russ.

I mean other than the fact he sucks, sure.

[Kilroy]

Came here to say I'm starting to feel bad for Westbrook, because unlike a lot of players in the league, he at least seems to show up motivated and ready to work... He's just a terrible fit on this team... Which granted, he, his agent, the Lakers FO, LeBron, AD, Vogel, the Towel Boy, and the guy who makes sure there's no sweat and slobber on the floor at the Crypt, should have known...

Then I saw this:

Russ is only 2 players away from worst FT % in the leauge

Damn... I knew it was bad, but I didn't realize it was that bad... He's probably about on the same level in defense too, or stats lie...

[ItsDanger]

Westbrook is the type of player that would get run out of the NHL in no time, regardless of his talents. Selfish stat hounds should always be avoided.

[NyKnicks1714]

Came here to say I'm starting to feel bad for Westbrook, because unlike a lot of players in the league, he at least seems to show up motivated and ready to work

What does this even mean? Where is the work he's putting in on his shooting, or in the film room to work on his defensive assignments? Now maybe he's one of those first to come in, last to leave type of guys. I don't know, I'm not a Lakers practices, but there are no signs whatsoever that he's truly trying to work on his game.

And a few people have said it recently: he plays fast, not hard.

[UcanUwill]

Going the same Carmelo, Iverson route, but even less humble and more delusional.

[UcanUwill]

Now that Lebron has destroyed the Lakers, what team is he going to next?
Clippers?
Portland to play with Dame?
Brooklyn to join KD and IRving?

LeBrons era has ended, he will probably go to a team that drafts his son and it will be the end of it. Look at that man, he knows his legacy is written, man is dead in his eyes, still good, but nothing he does at this point that would higher up his legacy. He got one ship for the Lakers, which for anyone else would have been great, he got AD into top75, so there is that.

[KyRo23]

Now that Lebron has destroyed the Lakers, what team is he going to next?
Clippers?
Portland to play with Dame?
Brooklyn to join KD and IRving?

Ahhh yes, the good ol winning a championship sabotage. Oldest trick in the book.

The Lakers ended up trading a group of players who went elsewhere (NO mainly) and still haven't made the playoffs. LA won a ring and have a great duo in AD and LeBron. They are still fixable.

[EArl]

I think its time to trade Russ. I dont see us keeping him before the next season begins.

[Kilroy]

Came here to say I'm starting to feel bad for Westbrook, because unlike a lot of players in the league, he at least seems to show up motivated and ready to work

What does this even mean? Where is the work he's putting in on his shooting, or in the film room to work on his defensive assignments? Now maybe he's one of those first to come in, last to leave type of guys. I don't know, I'm not a Lakers practices, but there are no signs whatsoever that he's truly trying to work on his game.

And a few people have said it recently: he plays fast, not hard.

Russel Westbrook, regardless of what you think about him, or how effective he is, would play as many minutes as you could give him every single night... He's got that kind of motor... Which, be honest, only a very few players, especially star players seem to have anymore...
Now, he's able to do that partially because he takes defensive possessions easy... But at least you get effort...

And let's also not lie about him... He can, on any given night, get you 20/10/10... Still... His defensive assignment may drop 40 on him, but if you have the right mix of players, who can mask his defensive liabilities, maybe that's not an issue on your team...

The problem with the Lakers, is LeBron is also taking most of the night off on Defense, and AD picks and chooses his battles at this point...

You got a point though about the film room... Westbrook hasn't really improved anything from opening night... He just keeps playing the exact same way, and making the exact same mistakes... Worst of all being the fact that he just can't seem to get the ball to AD or LeBron in situations where they might be effective...

Rondo was basically useless on D until the playoffs, but he could come in and orchestrate the offense and get the ball to AD and LeBron in great spots...