Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham spent the entire NBA preseason tinkering with the lineup, trying different combinations of players in every game. The starting lineup was different in all six exhibitions as he was trying to find the combination that worked the best.
The last combination that he used included point guard Russell Westbrook coming off the bench. It was something that had been discussed throughout the offseason and after vehemently being against it, a role change seemed to be something Westbrook was open to after some discussions with Ham.
Unfortunately, the experiment did not last long. Westbrook was injured five minutes into the game and did not return to the game. Being that it was a preseason game, there was no reason for him or the team to push things.
It was something that Westbrook spoke about after the game, admitting that he doesn’t know how to come off the bench. He has been a starter in the last 1,004 games that he has appeared in, 1,005 now that he started on opening night against the Golden State Warriors as well.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Russell Westbrook & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Professional athletes are creatures of habit and Westbrook’s routine was disrupted by being asked to come off of the bench in the last preseason game. He believes that played a part in getting hurt as he wasn’t warmed up properly.
“Absolutely, I’ve been doing the same thing for over 14 years straight. Honestly, I didn’t even know what to do pregame.”
There is a lot that goes into staying warm and preparing as a second-unit player. It is not an easy role as there are some players that just cannot handle not knowing exactly when they will be entering the game. Westbrook has warmed up hard and went right into the game as a starter for basically 14 seasons in the NBA, adjusting now will take some time.
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This is something that Ham and his staff will have to work on as well. They need to do everything they can to make Westbrook comfortable in a role that is foreign to him. While he started opening night, that isn’t a role he should have much longer into the season as the Lakers need to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis with more shooting.
