“We’ve become immune to greatness” - Antonio Daniels defends Russell Westbrook, believes Russ deserves credit for showing up everyday and playing hard
The awkward fit of Russell Westbrook was one of the many reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers found themselves on the outside looking in of the playoffs. After sacrificing depth for star power, the former MVP struggled to fit in next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
From the start, many questioned how Russell Westbrook was going to make it work on the Lakers. Between being a ball-dominant guard for most of his career and a weak three-point shooter, he is the exact opposite player archetype to put next to LeBron.
Russell Westbrook finishing the season with averages of 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists. This scoring mark is the lowest of his career since his second year in the league back in 2010.
While many have been quick to slander the Lakers guard, one analyst came to the defense of Russell Westbrook. Antonio Daniels feels the nine-time All-Star deserves more credit for the work he put in this season.
"We've become immune to greatness... He deserves a little more credit. In a time in today's NBA that's about load management, that's about taking time off, he played 78 games man. He deserves some credit for that as opposed to people constantly being concerned with what he did not do."
“We’ve become immune to greatness.”
@adaniels33 tells @RickKamlaSports that Westbrook’s availability shouldn’t be overlooked. #LakeShow https://t.co/D5NA4CXNmG
Does Russell Westbrook deserve more credit for his season with the Lakers?
Antonio Daniels does bring up a valid point. It's rare for star players to be a nightly fixture in the lineup, and despite his endless criticism, Russell Westbrook was always out there for the Lakers. Looking at his counterparts, LeBron James appeared in 56 games while Anthony Davis played in 40.
A lot can be said about how Westbrook played for the Lakers this year, but nobody can say he wasn't committed to his team. His strong competitive nature is still there, and him being on the court every night is a testament to that.
As the old saying goes, the best ability is availability. It could have been easy for him to load manage himself as the Lakers' season went off the rails, but he insisted on being out there nightly.
1 year ago today the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook. What grade would you give the trade? https://t.co/SJfCbZuaBn
There is still some criticisms that can be made, but Daniels is right in a sense. Westbrook does deserve some credit for being an ironman for the Lakers this season. However, being available for every game does not overshadow the tweaks in his game he needs to make if he wants to turn things around at this late stage in his career.