"Draymond is begging Russ to shoot!" - Hilarious footage showing no defense on Russell Westbrook goes viral, sparks brutal reactions
Draymond Green turned to a commonly used defensive scheme against Russell Westbrook during the LA Clippers vs Golden State Warriors game on Thursday. During the seven-minute mark of the first quarter, Green purposely left Westbrook open on top of the key, forcing him to shoot a long-range attempt.
Westbrook isn't one of the premier 3-point shooters, often leading opposition players to clog the paint and make him attempt more shots from beyond the arc. Here's a clip of the play (via Bleacher Report):
Dray guarding Russ 👀 https://t.co/mpeKmmzeGl
Fans showed no compassion to Westbrook as he refused to shoot. The Warriors media affiliate NBC Sports erupted the trolling, captioning the tweet:
"Draymond is begging Russ to shoot!"
More reactions followed:
🤣@BleacherReport This is Wild Dog 🤣🤣😂🤣
@BleacherReport https://t.co/zKoybn9uw2
@BleacherReport Most disrespectful thing I’ve seen this week.
@BleacherReport Draymond and Westbrook guarding each other https://t.co/CIaTVggQdq
@BleacherReport https://t.co/2ve52Ybbsk
@BleacherReport https://t.co/j1wNmZ1CqX
@BleacherReport crazy cause with the Lakers he would’ve had no problem pulling up…
@BleacherReport Russel Westbrook and Draymond Green guarding each other https://t.co/KX30tKkQTe
@BleacherReport That’s how Kobe was guarding Rondo in those finals
@BleacherReport draymond knows a lot about being guarding this way😭😭
@BleacherReport @BR_NBA I hope Russ guards Draymid the same way because he is not much better at this point
@BleacherReport Don't let this role player treat you like this russ. Shoot the ball man. This hurts my soul, this guy was one of the most feared Pgs. Wtf happened
Russell Westbrook and LA Clippers still searching for their first win together
Russell Westbrook has played three games since joining the LA Clippers as a free agent. His fit has looked promising, but the Clippers haven't won any of those games. Westbrook has been efficient, though. He has averaged 16.0 points and 9.3 assists on 53/44/100 splits.
Westbrook endured a tumultuous stint with the Clippers' cross-town rivals, the LA Lakers. His misfit alongside LeBron James saw a drop in his efficiency and production, which saw significant criticism directed at him during his time there.
There had been constant speculation regarding his future with the team since the 2022 offseason, further adding pressure on him to perform. Critics even reckoned that he would be out of the league if the Lakers traded him.
However, Westbrook turned things around by agreeing to come off the bench. He rediscovered his mojo in a 6th Man Role, reviving his value in the market. The Lakers eventually flipped his $47 million expiring deal to acquire D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley in a three-team deal, sending Russ to the Jazz and Mike Conley to the Timberwolves.
Russell Westbrook agreed to a buyout with the Utah Jazz, as widely expected, and the LA Clippers, one of the favorites to sign him as a buyout candidate, landed him as their newest star addition.
The Clippers were the ideal destination for Westbrook. The team needed a ball-handling point guard who could distribute the ball at a high level. LA had also moved John Wall and Reggie Jackson, leaving them with Bones Hyland as their only true point guard.
Unlike the Lakers, the Clippers had more shooting around Westbrook, making him an ideal fit on the team. The results haven't been there yet, but the Clippers' issues haven't stemmed from Westbrook's presence.