PORTLAND, Ore. — Russell Westbrook sat on the end of the bench — the spot where he spent the Lakers’ fourth-quarter comeback in Los Angeles a night earlier.
It wasn’t turnovers, missed shots or poor defense that landed him there against the Trail Blazers, though. It was a sore back — an injury forcing him out of the Lakers’ starting lineup for the first time this season.
The timing of it all couldn’t have been more dramatic — the trade deadline one day in front of the team and a sort of pivot point against the Milwaukee Bucks one night behind.