“I am personally rooting for Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook; stay strong and positive fellas!”- NBA legend comes out in support of under-fire pair of star guards
Over the past year, Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving have faced plenty of scrutiny from analysts. Despite being two future Hall of Famers, they have made their fair share of enemies because of their choices.
From the moment Russell Westbrook landed with the LA Lakers last summer, many questioned if the fit would work. As a ball-dominant point guard, having him next to a player like LeBron James did not make much sense. Critics' assumptions were right, and the former MVP had one of his worst seasons in years.
Irving, meanwhile, came under fire because of his off-the-court issues. After refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccination, he was forced to be a part-time player for the Brooklyn Nets last season. The All-Star guard couldn't partake in home games due to New York City mandates.
While many have lost faith in the two star guards, one Hall of Famer is rooting for them to make it out of this rough patch in their careers. Former Detroit Pistons star Isiah Thomas took to Twitter to show his support for Irving and Westbrook.
"Let it be known I am personally rooting for @KyrieIrving and @russwest44. Stay strong and positive fellas!"
Let it be known I am personally rooting for @KyrieIrving and @russwest44 stay strong and positive fellas!
Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving have had their fair share of struggles
For different reasons, both Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving have been on a downward trend in recent years.
At his peak, the LA Lakers star was a hyper-athletic point guard who was capable of filling the stat sheet every night. At 33, Westbrook is evidently past his peak and has not been able to alter his game as required.
Instead of trying to change his game for the betterment of the group, Russ seems to be stuck in his ways. His unwillingness to simply fill a role for the Lakers has seen the all-time triple-double leader do more harm than good in LA.
Kyrie Irving has also been a crutch to his team at times, but in a different way. While he can still perform at a high level, his availability in the lineup continues to be a concern.
Since signing with the Brooklyn Nets back in 2019, Irving has struggled to consistently be on the court. Due to personal reasons and injuries, the Nets have regularly been without one of their top talents. In his three seasons with Brooklyn, Irving has appeared in less than 30 games in two of them.
Both Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving still have a chance to turn things around this late in their careers and win a championship. However, they have to be willing to make the necessary sacrifices.