The Lakers hope Russell Westbrook‘s performance Friday night in Charlotte will lead to better things for the rest of the season, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis both sidelined by injuries, Westbrook exploded for 30 points in the second half and nearly rallied the team to a road win.
Westbrook was the Lakers’ prize acquisition of the offseason, but his fit with the other two stars has been questionable so far. Although his name has been mentioned in trade rumors, Westbrook remains confident that he can make it work in L.A.
“I think ultimately when myself and A.D. and Bron is on the court, we got to be able to figure that out to where I can still keep my same speed and pace to the basket and allow me to make the game easy for them,” he said. “And it’s something that we even briefly talked about after the game, about positioning and things they saw tonight from sitting on the bench, to be able to help them out.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- James will miss his third straight game Sunday at Atlanta because of “left knee soreness/effusion,” tweets Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The Lakers are listing Davis as questionable.
- The Warriors had to adjust after Klay Thompson‘s return, but Thursday’s win over Minnesota showed how dangerous Golden State can be when all the pieces are working, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Thompson and Stephen Curry combined for 52 points and the Warriors shot 58.3% as a team from three-point range. “It’s a really good indicator of what our team can look like with Klay back and everybody healthy, for the most part, in terms of our shooters,” coach Steve Kerr said. “With these last couple of games, the spacing that we’ve had and the ball movement, we’ve gotten great shots.”
- Kings guard De’Aaron Fox had to miss his fourth straight game tonight with pain in his left ankle, tweets James Ham of ESPN 1320.“Don’t know how long he’ll be out,” said interim coach Alvin Gentry. “It is a sore ankle. That’s been it. He dresses, he tries it and then he’s really the only one that knows the pain threshold of where it is or anything. All it is is an ankle right now, there’s not anything else going on.”
Klay play 8 games
4-4?
3pt 36.8%
It’s better they start him now and acclimate him now then bring him off the bench and bring him along slowly.
Get it over with, get him dialed in and the teammates all on the same page and make it a rapid adjustment.
Sure you’ll go 4-4 maybe even 8-8 and 12-9. No problem it’ll help come playoff time when everybody is ramped up and dialed in and on the same page.
Draymond not playing is the problem, not Klay.
Plus/minus stats
First half
Wiggins +20
Curry -10
Klay -13
Who plays defense?
You solved it all. The Warriors are horrible. Trade Klay and Curry. They need to tank. Trade everybody else for Ben Simmons, who isn’t playing. They will surely make the playoffs then.
btw, silly man, since you’re into microcosms, try this. Up 104-103, Thompson buries a VERY clutch TWENTY-EIGHT FOOT bomb with 12 seconds left, then makes 2 of 2 from free throw line. They win by 4. So for 12 seconds, he’s +3. 5 increments in a minute, 48 minutes in a game, so 240 increments of +3. So Klay could potentially a +720 due to his 12 second contribution. Now, this is potentially the stupidest post ever seen on this site. I apologize, but really isnt 12 seconds worth of plus stats as worthless 24 minutes of plus stats.
Your rage only fuels him young one
nah, he likely ignores it. it’s not rage, just boredom grasshopper
Btw, Wash, bonercats? I’m afraid to ask
Lol. Its a reference to an old Funny or Die sketch about the Washington Football Team name change. And yes before you ask I am a Sacramento Kings and Washington Football Team fan. I live in constant anguish.
Lakers lost and Westbrook scored mostly when they were down alot, yet they want to talk about his points…. C’mon!
This game also reiterates the point that he’s not a good fit with A.D. and LaBron. The trade was a poor decision by LA.