“The fans may pick up on that and start serenading him with ‘Westbrick’ chants” - Chris Broussard believes Russell Westbrook might be called ‘Westbrick’ for the rest of his career
Russell Westbrook had one of his best games of the season Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets. Although it wasn't enough as the LA Lakers lost 139-130 in overtime, he recorded his fifth game of 30 points or more.
Westbrook was 11 of 21 (52.4%) while totaling 30 points, with eight rebounds, six assists and just two turnovers.
The Lakers point guard has played in 64 of the team's 65 games this season. His frequent game time, however, has yet to yield a consistent level of excellence from the 33-year old. Due to his poor play and the Lakers' terrible season (28-37), fans have called him "Westbrick." The jab seems to have stuck, but Westbrook has condemned it.
.@Chris_Broussard reveals who’s under duress this week:
5. Kyler
4. Wentz
3. Carroll/Schneider
2. Westbrook
1. Simmons https://t.co/yS1igNqg9t
In his "Most Under Duress in the World of Sports" segment on "First Things First," analyst Chris Broussard listed Westbrook as No. 2 on the list, calling his season a "year from hell." Broussard said the "Westbrick" nickname might outlive his career.
"Any world arena he goes into, the fans may pick up on that and start serenading him with Westbrick chants," Broussard said. "Maybe not just this season but the rest of his career."
How has Russell Westbrook fared so far this season?
The most talked about signing in the offseason, Russell Westbrook has had a tough run this season. The triple-double maestro has been the center of ridicule and immense backlash from fans and pundits.
Westbrook's big move to his hometown LA Lakers was meant to be the stuff of dreams, but his poor performances resulted in harsh criticism. He has found it difficult to get to his rhythm with the Lakers as he averages 3.9 turnovers per game.
30 PTS
Russell Westbrook last night:
✅ 30 PTS
✅ 8 REB
✅ 6 AST
Westbrook became the 33rd player in NBA history to reach 23,000 career points.
He's one of only three players in that group to record at least 7,000 rebounds and 7,000 assists (LeBron James and Oscar Robertson). https://t.co/L5U9gx3qLA
His 24 double-doubles and nine triple-doubles do not tell the entire story of how poor his season has been. He averages 18.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists, shooting 43.5%, including 28.2% from beyond the arc. He has only mustered five 30-plus points games in 64 appearances, playing an average of 34.4 minutes per game.
Westbrook's scoring average has seen a mostly steady decline since he averged a league-leading 31.6 ppg as the 2016-17 MVP with the OKC Thunder. In fact, his 18.3 ppg is his lowest scoring average since his first two seasons in the league.