With 18 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists off the bench, Russell Westbrook was instrumental in the Lakers’ first win over the Nuggets. For Darvin Ham, this is the ultimate proof that it’s a win-win for both parties. Westbrook can be himself as a 6th man, with the “second unit”, and the Lakers won in this configuration.
Since Westbrook is untransferable, both parties had no choice but to find a compromise. As a starter, Westbrook is useless because he does not have the ball in hand. As 6th man, he regains control of the game, and he does what he has always done, surrounded by young people and “role players”. For his coach, starting on the bench paradoxically allows Westbrook to find his rhythm.
“I told him, ‘You’re going to be successful. Trust me. Believe me’. I always told him, your sacrifice, from a player of your stature, it will send a message. says the Lakers coach. “It will help our team and I told him not to look at it as if we were taking him out of the five. If I remember correctly, he finished the game, right? So if I put him in a situation where he comes off the bench, he helps us in so many areas through points, rebounds, assists and he gives confidence to others, Austin and others like Matt and Wenyen. So, in my opinion, it’s ideal for our group because it is made to be in this role and then gain its rhythm. Then when LeBron and AD are back on the court, he’s in a better mood, and that’s a good compromise because he’s playing and he’s productive at a high level. »
Which other MVP came off the bench?
Before Westbrook, what other former MVP has agreed to be 6th man? There was Allen Iverson, but it was to relaunch his career in Memphis, and it went very badly… There was Derrick Rose, but it was because of his injuries. Even the Shaq, when he was a shadow of the MVP he had been, never came off the bench. In the end, Westbrook is really the first MVP to agree to come off the bench, and that sends a message to the rest of the workforce.
“Once on the bench, the others say to themselves that they cannot come back into play to spoil what has been done” continues the Lakers coach. “I’m very happy for him, he’s been phenomenal the last two games, in Minnesota and on Sunday. He was amazing and that’s why I’m so happy. I can’t even imagine what this kid has been through… One of the biggest reasons I got this job was to make sure he got the respect he deserved. Much of what happened last year was not his fault, yet it was all blamed on him. I told him to listen to me, to believe in me: ‘I will put you in a position to succeed with the group but you have to put the group first’. We cannot reason with the “I” or the “me”. It must be “we”. And that’s what he did. »
| 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 | 5 | 30 | 34.3 | 20.0 | 70.8 | 1.2 | 6.0 | 7.2 | 4.8 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 13.4 |
| Total | 1026 | 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 | |
