"It's a shocking statement but it's the truth" - Skip Bayless makes a bold comparison between LA Lakers rookie Austin Reaves and 9-time All-Star Russell Westbrook
The LA Lakers snapped a four-game losing skid Saturday with a 124-116 win over the Golden State Warriors. But they still head into the final stretch of their season with an underwhelming 28-35 record and in ninth place in the Western Conference.
A big part of their struggles, a mere two seasons since winning the NBA championship, has been the upsetting performance of guard Russell Westbrook. The Lakers have witnessed Westbrook's worst performance since his sophomore year.
Adding fuel to the fire, Skip Bayless, on "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," didn't mince words on Westbrook:
"It has come to this: An undrafted rookie out of Oklahoma – who stayed the whole time at Oklahoma – is a better all-around player than Russell Westbrook – a first-ballot Hall of Famer."
Austin Reaves' emergence as a genuine off-the-bench player has been one of the Lakers' few silver linings. He's even earned spots in the starting five owing to the team's lack of roster depth and injuries. He has made his first five career starts in the past five games.
The clutch December game-winner against the Mavericks and a feature on LeBron James' Instagram was all the undrafted rookie needed to become a fan favorite. (His last second 3-pointer to beat the Mavs 107-104 on Dec. 15 gave the Lakers their best record this season, at 16-13. They are 12-22 since that victory.)
When the undrafted rookie hits the game-winner. https://t.co/v6SkCFc350
Digging further into Westbrook, Bayless said:
"He is a liability. And he's a liability in the locker room, because, according to (reporter) Marc Stein, he's defiant at every suggestion in the locker room, and obviously there have been widely reported stories that there's pressure from the top down to (coach Frank) Vogel to just use him off the bench."
Russell Westbrook's Looming Troubles
In a season best described as forgettable for the former UCLA Bruin, Russell Westbrook averages 18.1 points per game on 43% shooting. This is only the third season in his 14-year career that he's averaged below 20 points per game – the previous two seasons being his first two in the NBA.
The triple-double machine's offensive output has shadowed his liabilities as a ballhandler over his career. Taking the high-scoring play away only glorifies his turnovers and poor ballhandling.
The incompatibility of Westbrook's style of play has been at the center of the discussion surrounding his place in the Lakers' franchise. While his role on the court has been heavily scrutinized, his behavior off it has also sparked a lot of talk.
Call me crazy, but I think it's just a bit disrespectful to look at your phone during an entire postgame interview, especially after getting blown out. Just me, I guess. Manners. What a concept.
The Lakers have the league's toughest remaining schedule (by opponent win/loss percentage). As it was, LeBron James had to drop 56 points to beat the watered-down Golden State Warriors. The lack of a "next man-up" mentality will probably see them fight in the play-in tournament. A deep playoff run is all but unlikely at this stage.