The criticism and scapegoating of Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook has gone from bad to worse, as his wife Nina responded to death threats that their family has received lately.
Now, team legend Magic Johnson is calling for fans to “rally around” Westbrook and his household, calling him a “key component” of the team.
It has been a frustrating season for Westbrook and the Lakers. At times, he has played well, but overall he has fallen short of expectations.
His offensive efficiency has been up and down throughout the campaign, and his propensity for committing too many turnovers has hurt the squad at times, although he has done a much better job in that department the last several weeks.
The Lakers have won only seven of their last 24 games and are clinging to the ninth spot in the Western Conference. This recent slump has virtually ended all hopes of the team outright making the playoffs and avoiding the play-in tournament.
It remains to be seen if Lakers fans will heed Johnson’s pleas for supporting Westbrook, which he posted on Twitter Tuesday morning.
