Good morning, Los Angeles. How are the vibes this morning? Are you feeling a little less tension in your shoulders and neck after the Lakers defeated the Jazz?
These two teams (both carrying names that greatly misrepresent the city they moved to after relocating from previous locations) faced off to close the slate of excellent basketball games held on Martin Luther King Day. The Lakers had lost three games in a row coming into the match and the vibes were so bad that LeBron James had to apologize to fans.
Before the game, some fans on Twitter were clamoring to take Russell Westbrook out of the starting and/or closing lineups. However, the league’s 2017 Most Valuable Player reminded them why the Lakers front office opted to surrender so many assets to acquire him during the offseason.
Assisting. It's what Russ does. 🤝#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/dmyn1pHyWz
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 18, 2022
Early in the evening, Westbrook got the crowd on his side by mopping up a spilled drink. He had a massive, mischievous smile on his face and it made for a delightful little moment that the fans could remember next time he is in the midst of a rougher game.
But the main story of the night was that Westbrook threw down one of the most insane dunks of the season on three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
Despite the fact that Gobert has a 7-foot-9 wingspan, Westbrook fired himself to the rim like a cannonball before the big man had time to properly react and defend the basket.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK. WOAH. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/pjNlb5wSmP
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 18, 2022
While he hasn’t blown by opponents with as much force as he once did, Westbrook showed that he still has some gas left in his tank.
LeBron said the dunk was “electrifying” and although Westbrook’s taunting afterward did yield a technical foul, his enthusiasm clearly inspired his teammates on the Lakers.
Later in the game, Westbrook managed to take the ball the full length of the court for an and-one basket that essentially sealed the win over the Jazz. As he celebrated with his teammates, it was obvious that Westbrook has the type of energy best described as infectious.
Coast-to-coast for the clutch bucket 🔥
Russell Westbrook drives the length of the floor to extend the @Lakers lead late on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/6fhZyvGrVB
— NBA (@NBA) January 18, 2022
Westbrook had a solid enough overall performance on the court when it was all said and done, scoring 15 points to go with 8 rebounds and 3 assists.
He was 5-for-14 from the field, which is a significant improvement over recent performances like when he shot 2-for-12 on Jan. 9 or 2-for-14 on Jan. 12. Meanwhile, after recording nine (!) turnovers on Jan. 2, the guard also limited himself to just two turnovers.
Even though Westbrook has faced a ton of criticism this season, it was an important reminder that Los Angeles traded for him for a reason. Maybe it won’t change the way the season unfolds but the game could get some fans back on his side next time he’s down bad.
