In November, the many problems for the Los Angeles Lakers that defined their 2021-22 season were just beginning.
LeBron James missed 11 of their 19 games with a sprained ankle and ab injury, and Russell Westbrook was having difficulty fitting in.
With James on the shelf, Anthony Davis coming down with a non-COVID illness and the team losing two of the first three games of its first extended road trip, Westbrook was called upon to step up.
The Lakers (9-9) headed into Madison Square Garden on Nov. 23 to take on the New York Knicks.
L.A. fell behind by a huge margin in the first half, but Westbrook scored 18 points in the third quarter to get it back in the game.
He finished with 31 points while shooting 10-of-18 from the field, 8-of-9 from the free-throw line and 3-of-6 from 3-point range. By adding 13 rebounds and 10 assists, Westbrook ended up with a triple-double.
Unfortunately, the Lakers ran out of gas down the stretch and fell to New York, 106-100.
