“I’m excited Russ didn’t turn the ball over” – Shannon Sharpe refuses to get carried away by LA Lakers’ win over Sacramento Kings, expresses shock over Russell Westbrook’s zero turnovers
Guard Russell Westbrook has been at the focal point of the LA Lakers' struggles. But he did stop his NBA record of 407 consecutive games with a turnover Tuesday night. And Los Angeles has won three games in a row and four of five.
Westbrook has struggled, averaging 19.5 points per game while shooting 45.2% (30.0% from 3-point range). The nine-time All-Star's scoring average is his lowest since his second season, when he averaged 16.1 ppg in 2009-10.
Analyst Shannon Sharpe applauded the Lakers for pulling out a tough, 122-114 win down the stretch against the Sacramento Kings during "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed" on Wednesday.
"It was really nice to see them finally get a win of this magnitude...but the reason they were able to win this game...is because they had very limited turnovers."
It was important for the Lakers to pick up the victory, as the team has been looking for any type of momentum. The three-game winning streak ties their best run all season (twice before). However, they are still five games behind the fourth-place Memphis Grizzlies (25-14) in the West.
Los Angeles is seventh in the Western Conference. The fifth-place Denver Nuggets (18-17) and sixth-place Dallas Mavericks (19-18) are tied with the Lakers at five games behind Memphis.
What was so notable about Tuesday night's performance was Westbrook's play. He had 19 points, five rebounds and seven assists to go along with the zero turnovers. For a player with such an erratic playing style, it was an eye-opening accomplishment as the energetic point guard has struggled with turnovers (4.6 per game) this year.
"I'm excited that Russ didn't turn the ball over," Sharpe said. "I'm shocked!"
.@ShannonSharpe on the Lakers win over the Kings:
"It was nice but let's be real: it's Sacramento. But I've got to give them credit for winning a close ball game like this. I'm excited that Russ didn't turn the ball over. I'm shocked!" https://t.co/lBJAtoGsOL
Can Westbrook continue to find his groove?
After struggling to find his rhythm with the Los Angeles Lakers, Russell Westbrook may finally be starting to string together some solid performances.
Westbrook has always been known for his ability to put up impressive production, but the Lakers need the veteran guard to become a more efficient player.
Russell Westbrook had 0 turnovers in 33 minutes tonight.
That’s the first time he’s played 30+ minutes without committing a turnover since 2013. https://t.co/mBBIU0CSku
During the team's last five games, Westbrook has averaged 18.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 46.2%. The Lakers have won four of those games.
As the Feb. 10 trade deadline approaches, it's going to be fascinating to see if the Lakers decide to keep Westbrook around for the remainder of the season.