After sitting out Wednesday’s game versus the Denver Nuggets with a bad hamstring, Russell Westbrook came off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
When he came into the game, he seemed to supply the team with energy and tempo for a while, and his positive impact was noticeable.
Unfortunately, his effectiveness waned in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He finished 6-of-17 and committed five turnovers.
But bringing Westbrook off the bench is a move Lakers fans have been wanting for months, and it looks like he may continue to play such a role.
Westbrook coming off the bench is the Lakers' plan for the foreseeable future, sources tell ESPN. They'll see how it goes tonight — barring Anthony Davis needing to sit out with his back. https://t.co/vmTiQQTsKu
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 28, 2022
The thinking is that by playing more minutes with LeBron James resting on the bench, Westbrook could have more room and freedom to play his natural helter-skelter game while actually helping and not hindering his team.
