What Russell Westbrook has to do to be successful in the purple and gold
Photo Credit: Adam Pantozzi
Sidenote: It is very early in the regular and it is not uncommon for players to get off to slow starts in the season. As bad as he is playing, he will get better just through pure acclamation of being on the court with this new team longer. However, if you’re looking toward the playoffs, this is not going to cut it, plain and simple.
Stop Shooting
Westbrook has to quit shooting more than two 3s per game. Every time he attempts a 3-pointer, misses or makes it, the opponent exhales a sigh of relief. He does not provide spacing. He is shooting under 27% from beyond the arc.
Be Bruce Brown
When Westbrook shares the court with LeBron James, he should be utilized like a quazi-big man. Let me explain. Westbrook is fantastic at drawing contact and is best served around the hoop. When he is not in a transition opportunity, he should lurk around the dunker spot, short corner (the corner 3 only if necessary) and around the free-throw line area. Anywhere else on the court like around the wing where he is not doing anything is pointless as who is defending will just give him space. As a pseudo big man, Westbrook can be a souped-up version of what Bruce Brown is for the Brooklyn Nets since he also has guard size and lacks a jumper shot.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
Screen and Cut
On the point of how bad Westbrook is when he is spacing and not in the areas I specified above earlier, he has to set screens and cut. His athleticism and physicality would be an incredible thing for the Lakers to take advantage of as he is able to put pressure on the rim and if doesn’t have the shot, he is more than capable of dumping the ball off to someone who can finish or kicking it out to a player above the arc. Having Westbrook be on the move in cuts and on/off-ball screening actions will instill fear into the opposing defense.
Change of Attitude
He has to change his mindset. He can’t approach this situation as a former MVP playing with James and Anthony Davis to form a big three. If he is capable of averaging a triple-double for a team that can scrape into the playoffs that brand of basketball is not going to breed success for the Lakers, in the playoffs specifically. In order to do all the things above, he has to reinvent himself, swallow his pride and adapt.
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