“Russ has it in him, he just has to play under control” – Vince Carter on Russell Westbrook's questionable decision-making during games
Russell Westbrook and the LA Lakers are in dire need of stability as they currently stand as a .500 team. Stability comes from the point guard position, and Russell Westbrook, the Lakers point guard, is playing shakier than ever.
Russell had 13 turnovers in just the last two games. He currently stands on a streak of 400 consecutive games with at least a single turnover. Though this statistic is not something any player wants beside their name, the high turnover rate matches his game style of intensely fast-paced basketball.
How Russell Westbrook can benefit from refining his game
In a video shared to YouTube by ESPN, Chiney Ogwumike, a WNBA star on the LA Sparks, talks to Lakers current acting coach David Fizdale and NBA legend Vince Carter about the team's recent film session and how Russell Westbrook can improve.
David Fizdale said this about the Lakers:
“We had a great film reception. Guys were very open and receptive. We just talked about connecting things: How do we use your talent that draws all of these players, to make sure that that leads to a great shot for us.”
With Russell Westbrook’s shaky start in Los Angeles, he is still averaging 19.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game so far. Though these statistics may read well alone, in comparison to Russ’ previous years, they start to look a little troublesome. Russell Westbrook is currently sitting at his lowest point average since his 2009-10 tenure with the OKC Thunder, when he averaged 16.1 points.
Standing with the most triple-doubles in the NBA at 189 and counting, Russell Westbrook is a notable force in the league. As one of the most explosive players in the history of the NBA, his speed often leads him to play with a lack of control.
What the Lakers need to drill into Russ is making him practice playing at a slower speed and understanding when to use his speed to his advantage. Many of his turnovers have been unexcused passes far into the stands, not just minor mistakes on something off a pick or a switch.
As a result, the LA Lakers are standing in a tough position with 16 wins and 16 losses. With an obvious need for a big change already, they met a new problem recently when star big Anthony Davis was declared out for four weeks with an MCL sprain in his left knee. With the absence of AD, Russell Westbrook is going to have to step up now more than ever.
Anthony Davis remains down on the ground with an ankle injury 😫.
#Lakers https://t.co/DaGQtgfRCr
How can Russell Westbrook help patch woes in LA?
With an injured Anthony Davis out for the foreseeable future, the team is going to need a large patch in its already shaky stability. Russell Westbrook needs to focus on slowing his plays down a little more.
All too often, Westbrook forces plays with plenty of time on the clock. When he runs the point to a pace at which his teammates can run the plays they need to, the ball ends up in the good hands of great shooters.
When asked about Russell Westbrook’s playing style while Anthony Davis is out, David Fizdale explained:
“In some of his plays he was probably moving too fast, or trying to press when things weren’t there.”
In the video shared by ESPN, Chiney Ogwumike narrates a play-by-play over the highlight play of Austin Reaves’ game-winning 3-pointer.
In LA’s OT thriller against the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 15, Russell Westbrook drove to the basket with the score tied at 104 with one possession left on the game clock. The greatness from Russ that the Lakers are in dire need of right now was showcased perfectly in this play.
Ogwumike explains Russell Westbrook in this Reaves play:
“This is Russ at his best, when the game is set … he forced the defense to collapse. He created a second line of defense, kicked out the assist. That’s the ‘Brodie’ in his bag. The difference of picking and choosing your moments. That’s what Russell Westbrook has to do, especially now for the Lakers.”
The LA Lakers have fabulous shooting options across the court, with many great plays structured to initiate an open pass-and-shoot opportunity. Russell Westbrook simply needs to remember that less is more. Though he is a fancy finisher, what the Lakers need more than ever right now is his refined point guard IQ.
During the conversation, eight-time All-Star Vince Carter and notable Toronto Raptors legend, added to Chiney’s comments in saying:
“One thing you cannot do is turn the ball over. You can’t have your lead guard, your point guard – well, one of your lead guards – turning the ball over at that high of a clip. For Russ, making the game simple for himself and everyone else, you can see the difference … When your team is not playing well, you have to play under control.”
After losing their last three games by a combined 41 points, the LA Lakers need to focus on exploiting the open chances they get. Los Angeles cannot afford to be giving up any more opportunities such as this one, shared by ‘Hoop Informatics’ on Twitter:
Alex CaRuso offensive rebound over Deandre Jordan and Russ Westbrook.
Pretty funny how little effort there was by the Lakers. https://t.co/6N6hwu6dk6
The LA Lakers’ next game comes Thursday night, when they face off against the San Antonio Spurs. Los Angeles will be without five players due to health and safety protocols, with LeBron James (abdomen) remaining as a game-time decision. The Spurs have been a better team on a per-possession basis (+0.2 vs. -1.4), boosted after beating the LA Clippers by 24 points on Monday.
Will the Lakers be able to patch their woes and come out of this game on top as they battle the Clippers for victory in Los Angeles?