Point guard Russell Westbrook has been spectacular for the Los Angeles Clippers in the playoffs thus far, even though the team is currently down 3-1 against the Phoenix Suns. The point guard has endured a lot of criticism this season, and it is definitely good to see him playing at a high level individually.
After Game 4 between the Clippers and the Suns, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul spoke out about all the criticism that Russell Westbrook has received. They defended Westbrook, with Paul stating that the people who criticize Westbrook “don’t know basketball”.
Kevin Durant: “People going to always criticize when you’re successful… Russ has been resilient his whole life…When he retires, people are really gonna tell the truth about how they feel about his game. Right now, it’s a fun thing to do is to make a joke out of Russ. The way he has been playing shows who he really is.”
Chris Paul: “I feel like the only people to do that too is the people who don’t know basketball… Russ is one of my closest friends.”
There is no doubt that Russell Westbrook has been fantastic for the Clippers, and he is showing that he is not close to being done in the NBA. Sometimes, all it takes is a change in situation for a player to thrive.
In the playoffs, Russell Westbrook has averaged 26.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 7.3 APG, and he has clearly proven that he deserves a new deal from the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers were absolutely right to gamble on him this season. Retaining him in free agency should be the team’s top priority, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
Russell Westbrook Is Willing To Do Whatever It Takes To Win Games
Though Russell Westbrook is often criticized for his shotmaking, it is clear that there is more to the point guard’s game than just scoring. In fact, previously, Russell Westbrook stated that even without his shotmaking, he’ll do whatever it takes to win.
“My whole career, I’ve been priding myself every season to do everything. I think I’m one of those guys that can do everything each and every night. Whatever’s needed of me to win the game, to win the game, I’ll do it. I am just grateful that T-Lue and the staff believe in me that even when my shot isn’t falling, they’ll allow me to be in the game.”
Even though the Los Angeles Clippers are down 3-1, there is a tiny chance that they can make this series competitive if either Kawhi Leonard or Paul George comes back for Game 5. However, that doesn’t look likely, and the team will have to rely on a miracle Russell Westbrook performance to stay alive in the playoffs.
