Russell Westbrook: 'Ain’t too many people defending better than me at this point'
Andrew Greif: Russell Westbrook: “Ain’t too many people defending better than me at this point if we keeping it honest.” Would an all-defense nod be validation for him? “I don’t need it but unfortunately I haven’t had one because I don’t know. I’ve been very deserving of it.”
Source: Twitter @AndrewGreif
Source: Twitter @AndrewGreif
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Russell Westbrook: “Ain’t too many people defending better than me at this point if we keeping it honest.”
Would an all-defense nod be validation for him?
“I don’t need it but unfortunately I haven’t had one because I don’t know. I’ve been very deserving of it.” – 11:29 PM
Russell Westbrook: “Ain’t too many people defending better than me at this point if we keeping it honest.”
Would an all-defense nod be validation for him?
“I don’t need it but unfortunately I haven’t had one because I don’t know. I’ve been very deserving of it.” – 11:29 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
The Russell Westbrook All-Defense team campaign is officially underway. pic.twitter.com/S5e0QRSYEe – 11:28 PM
The Russell Westbrook All-Defense team campaign is officially underway. pic.twitter.com/S5e0QRSYEe – 11:28 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
T. Lue: “I just thought Russ’ energy was phenomenal”
Westbrook was a +18 through 3 quarters, +15 for game – 11:16 PM
T. Lue: “I just thought Russ’ energy was phenomenal”
Westbrook was a +18 through 3 quarters, +15 for game – 11:16 PM
Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
Trae Young has his 5th consecutive game with 30+ points and 10+ assists.
The longest such streaks in NBA history:
7 Oscar Robertson
6 Oscar Robertson
5 Trae Young
5 Russell Westbrook
5 Michael Jordan
5 Tiny Archibald – 10:27 PM
Trae Young has his 5th consecutive game with 30+ points and 10+ assists.
The longest such streaks in NBA history:
7 Oscar Robertson
6 Oscar Robertson
5 Trae Young
5 Russell Westbrook
5 Michael Jordan
5 Tiny Archibald – 10:27 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Lakers 3-point rankings in non-Russell Westbrook years.
Percentage/Attempts:
23-24: 24th/28th
20-21: 21st/24th
19-20: 21st/23rd
18-19: 29th/17th
This is just a long-term organizational weakness at this point. The Lakers are bad at finding, developing and utilizing shooting. – 9:21 PM
Lakers 3-point rankings in non-Russell Westbrook years.
Percentage/Attempts:
23-24: 24th/28th
20-21: 21st/24th
19-20: 21st/23rd
18-19: 29th/17th
This is just a long-term organizational weakness at this point. The Lakers are bad at finding, developing and utilizing shooting. – 9:21 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Kawhi and Luka are resting
Clippers roll out a Harden/Mann/Westbrook/Powell/Theis lineup
Looks like an 8-man rotation tonight without PG. No Kobe, no Bones, no Brandon
And Clippers are on a 7-0 run. Lead 45-27. They have a flight tonight, so they might want to keep it up! – 9:19 PM
Kawhi and Luka are resting
Clippers roll out a Harden/Mann/Westbrook/Powell/Theis lineup
Looks like an 8-man rotation tonight without PG. No Kobe, no Bones, no Brandon
And Clippers are on a 7-0 run. Lead 45-27. They have a flight tonight, so they might want to keep it up! – 9:19 PM
Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Clippers take a 20-12 lead after a 12-1 run. Since Russell Westbrook checked in for Mann, Russ has been the primary defender on Luka and has been pretty effective. Denied him the ball on one possession, and didn’t bite on a pump fake on another. – 8:55 PM
Clippers take a 20-12 lead after a 12-1 run. Since Russell Westbrook checked in for Mann, Russ has been the primary defender on Luka and has been pretty effective. Denied him the ball on one possession, and didn’t bite on a pump fake on another. – 8:55 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Asked Tyronn Lue about what makes Terance Mann an effective point of attack defender (“willing to commit”, “playing hard”) and how Russell Westbrook complements what Mann does pic.twitter.com/Z1DeXqDDpU – 8:19 PM
Asked Tyronn Lue about what makes Terance Mann an effective point of attack defender (“willing to commit”, “playing hard”) and how Russell Westbrook complements what Mann does pic.twitter.com/Z1DeXqDDpU – 8:19 PM
More on this storyline
Jovan Buha: My understanding is that the Lakers continue to prefer DeRozan and/or Caruso given their contracts, as previously reported. The Lakers have preferred year-to-year flexibility over long-term salaries since their championship run in 2020, and especially after the catastrophic Russell Westbrook trade. DeRozan is on a $28 million expiring deal. Caruso is making $9.5 million this season and $9.9 million next season, both team-friendly figures given he’s one of the league’s best defensive guards. LaVine, meanwhile, represents a significant commitment for a player who’s been a borderline All-Star at best. -via The Athletic / December 20, 2023
Of course, even the most intrusive defenders can be a liability if they don’t pose some type of threat when their team has the ball. For Suggs, attacking in transition at supersonic speed—particularly after a made basket—is his signature move. “You see when he pushes it, it’s like Russell Westbrook down the court, flying through the lane,” Mosley says, illustrating what he asks Suggs to do on offense. “That’s part of it. Can you play with pace? Can you flatten the defense out?” It keeps opponents on their heels and, in Suggs’s view, wears them down. “It makes our defense a little easier because they’re tired,” he explains. It also lets the Magic avoid having to execute in the half court, where they haven’t been efficient in years. -via The Ringer / December 20, 2023