Things just keep getting worse for the Los Angeles Lakers as the 2021-22 NBA continues to play out. After losing 132-111 to the LA Clippers, they have now lost four consecutive games and are just one game up on the New Orleans Pelicans for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.
When asked after the loss to the Clippers about if the team has talked about bringing Russell Westbrook off the bench, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said: “We’ve talked about everything.”
It remains to be seen what course of action the Lakers end up taking in order to shake things up. For Vogel, the hot seat keeps on getting hotter and at some point, drastic measures like benching Westbrook may be required. Squandering a season of LeBron James’ career is inexcusable for a team and the Lakers are doing just that.
Westbrook has failed to score in any of his performances since the start of February. In his 10 appearances during this stretch, he’s averaging just 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists while shooting 36.3 percent from the floor, 13.3 percent on three-pointers, and 65.2 percent on free throws.
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The fit between Westbrook and the Lakers is just not working the way the team had envision. There was always going to be a wide range of outcomes when taking this gamble. If he didn’t buy-in on doing the little things and prepare in the offseason to improve as a shooter, it was going to be a disaster.
Fast forward to today and it’s clear, Russell Westbrook is not going to change his game and it’s one that simply does not work for an aging point guard.
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Now, for the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s a real question about how they can move on from Russell Westbrook in the offseason, not about whether things can turn around. It’s been a lost season and they team needs to make some major changes in the offseason if they want to win again in the LeBron James era.
