The Los Angeles Lakers got off the schneid in their last game on Sunday night, defeating the Denver Nuggets 121-110. It snapped the five-game losing streak that they went on to open the NBA season, getting the proverbial monkey off their back in the process.
There was a lot to take away from that game, but the biggest one was that point guard Russell Westbrook came off the bench in a regular season game for the first time since his rookie season. For at least one game, the move worked, as Westbrook had arguably the best game of his tenure with the team.
Westbrook played starter’s minutes still, as he was on the court for 31:38, but looked much more comfortable in this role. He finished the game with 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, looking more like the player he was in previous stops with the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder.
This may have been an aberration, but Westbrook’s shooting stroke was even improved coming off the bench. He made 6-of-12 shots from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range and all four of his free throw attempts.
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It was something that an NBA scout who talked to NBA Analysis Network was impressed by. But still cautioned this team is far from a finished product.
“Westbrook is best with the ball in his hands. You’re not going to take it out of LeBron’s hands to run things through Westbrook, but they do need another threat out there to take pressure off him. For now, I like the decision to have Westbrook come off the bench. He’s been playing better and looks more comfortable out there. Regardless, if he’s not the answer next to LeBron, they need to find it.”
A big reason that Los Angeles was able to defeat Denver was that the 3-point shots were finally falling. The purple and gold made 13-of-30 from 3-point range, good for 43.3 percent, which was by far their best shooting evening of the season.
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For them to truly turn their season around, that is something the scout believes they need to improve upon as well.
“The Lakers still need to get more shooting in their rotation. That’s not going to improve without making roster changes. They could use another rim protector for when Anthony Davis misses games here and there, too. “
Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers would fit that description perfectly. He is a very good outside shooter with the ability to do more than just stand in a corner and space the floor. Defensively, he is an elite rim protector, blocking shots and contesting anything he can’t get his hands on.
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The asking price to land him is significant, but Turner would certainly help upgrade the team’s rotation, providing production in areas that the Lakers are currently lacking.
