Last year, Russell Westbrook had categorically refused the idea of passing 6th man under the orders of Frank Vogel. This season, with Darvin Ham at the helm, the point guard seemed more open to the idea.
Los Angeles even tested the idea in preseason, but it didn’t last long because the 2017 MVP got injured.
” Absolutely “he replied when asked if his little injury hamstring was related to coming off the bench. “I had the same routine for 14 years straight. Honestly, I didn’t even know what to do before the game. To be honest, I was trying to figure out how to stay warm and ready. Especially the way I play, because I go fast, I push, I restart. It turns out that when I entered the game, I felt something. I thought it was…I didn’t know what it was, but I wasn’t going to risk it in a preseason game. But it was definitely not something I was used to. I was not warm enough. But that’s something I wasn’t used to. »
Holder in the NBA since the 18th game of his rookie season, November 29, 2008, Russell Westbrook thus recalls that he is used to warming up to be a holder, and therefore to be hot for the start of the match. Being 6th man indeed requires special preparation, especially in relation to the play of the leader, which is constantly accelerating.
The statement is probably less controversial than it seems at first glance, but it still questions the willingness of the former Thunder, Wizards and Rockets to really consider coming off the bench. But also on the lack of communication on this role between Russell Westbrook and his coach.
“It’s not a demotion, it’s a realignment”had yet tried to clear Darvin Ham. “It’s different combinations to see different guys play together. You have to prepare. You have to be prepared for the fact that there will be injuries. Even if we don’t want them to happen. »
Extremely attached to his rituals and his routine, because his game is based on energy and physical pressure, Russell Westbrook seems in any case disturbed by the changes, as he had already explained a few months ago, when he said that sitting on the bench too long hurt his back.
| Russell Westbrook | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2008-09 | OKAY | 82 | 33 | 39.8 | 27.1 | 81.5 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 0.2 | 15.3 |
| 2009-10 | OKAY | 82 | 34 | 41.8 | 22.1 | 78.0 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 8.0 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 16.1 |
| 2010-11 | OKAY | 82 | 35 | 44.2 | 33.0 | 84.2 | 1.5 | 3.2 | 4.6 | 8.2 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 0.4 | 21.9 |
| 2011-12 | OKAY | 66 | 35 | 45.7 | 31.6 | 82.3 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 23.6 |
| 2012-13 | OKAY | 82 | 35 | 43.8 | 32.3 | 80.0 | 1.4 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 7.4 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 23.2 |
| 2013-14 | OKAY | 46 | 31 | 43.7 | 31.8 | 82.6 | 1.2 | 4.5 | 5.7 | 6.9 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 0.2 | 21.8 |
| 2014-15 | OKAY | 67 | 34 | 42.6 | 29.9 | 83.5 | 1.9 | 5.4 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 4.4 | 0.2 | 28.2 |
| 2015-16 | OKAY | 80 | 34 | 45.4 | 29.6 | 81.2 | 1.8 | 6.0 | 7.8 | 10.4 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 4.3 | 0.3 | 23.5 |
| 2016-17 ★ | OKAY | 81 | 35 | 42.5 | 34.3 | 84.5 | 1.7 | 9.0 | 10.7 | 10.4 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 5.4 | 0.4 | 31.6 |
| 2017-18 | OKAY | 80 | 36 | 44.9 | 29.8 | 73.7 | 1.9 | 8.2 | 10.1 | 10.3 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 4.8 | 0.3 | 25.4 |
| 2018-19 | OKAY | 73 | 36 | 42.8 | 29.0 | 65.6 | 1.5 | 9.6 | 11.1 | 10.7 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 23.0 |
| 2019-20 | HOO | 57 | 36 | 47.2 | 25.8 | 76.3 | 1.8 | 6.2 | 7.9 | 7.0 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 4.5 | 0.4 | 27.3 |
| 2020-21 | WAS | 65 | 36 | 43.9 | 31.5 | 65.6 | 1.7 | 9.9 | 11.5 | 11.7 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 4.8 | 0.4 | 22.2 |
| 2021-22 | ALL | 78 | 34 | 44.4 | 29.8 | 66.7 | 1.4 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 7.1 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 0.3 | 18.5 |
| 2022-23 | ALL | 2 | 29 | 30.4 | 11.1 | 85.7 | 0.5 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 10.5 |
| Total | 1023 | 35 | 43.8 | 30.4 | 78.3 | 1.7 | 5.7 | 7.4 | 8.4 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 4.1 | 0.3 | 22.8 | |
