Russell Westbrick Discussion: Clipper Gonna Clip

Actually think? He IS killing us. 26 missed layups in 4 games. I didn't see 26 missed layups in 30 years of watching NBA basketball, total, before this season.

 

Cool stat! Where’d you find it? Or is that just his # of misses at the rim? If that’s the case, a lot of them are him getting swatted too. Either way, they’re both problems

 

Not that this makes it much better, but it’s 26 shots in the paint (contested and uncontested). And 14 of those came on Christmas Day. So it’s 4 missed shots in the paint for the other 3 games which isn’t actually so bad when you consider he takes 10+ and makes 65% of them.

Christmas Day was just a terrible shooting game.

 

Great playmaking. The second best laker on the floor and the game just came to him tonight.

 

Even though he didn't put up a lot of points, I felt he made a big contribution. Had some really nice dimes. And even though he had a game high in TOs, it was a more controlled game by him.

 

I am actually optimistic that the Lakers will be playing pretty good ball over the next month with Lebron playing center.

This type of small ball lineup is what allowed Westbrook to start being more effective in playing his game in Houston. Houston had to trade away Capela to go full small ball to start having regular season success, and with AD out due to injury and Lebron as the small ball 5…. We could be a version of that.

It becomes a puzzle again once AD returns….

 

^^^ as long as it’s not too large and physical of an opposing center I would keep LeBron in the post, high post or wherever the hell he wanted to be … and let AD be the face up PF he wants to be. Let’s ride this. Much harder to defend and double LeBron without him finding someone open.

 

Folks look at Westbrook like he's a scorer at the point. That's not really his game, he's a facilitator and a strong rebounder at guard. Those are his strengths, but points scored and 3 point pct, seem to be the most important stats, when judging players, even the point guards. Rebounding just doesn't seem to even matter anymore.

 

Agreed. AD just isn’t the guy you throw the ball into the deep post and expect him to bully his way into a physical bucket. I’ve always thought he’s best attacking the rim off the ball. I think Lebron facilitating from the post would help AD (and Russ) get so many more easy buckets, just diving into the lanes created by Lebron and focusing on pick and roll.

 

i think the idea is to play 5 out with AD being the guy hanging around closes to the basket on offense, as opposed to lebron in the post.

 

Why would you think that when it appears against most centers, not the top big, too physical ones …. that this looks easier, more efficient and “safer” for LeBron than having to attempt so many drives and spinning drives in traffic and 3 point shots …. if he sets up more often in the high or low post? He’s stronger and as or more athletic than “most” of the 5s and he handles the ball and the moves on offense with back to the basket far better than AD does. I agree with Helljumper.

 

See …. I still have faith that when it gets to nitty gritty time LeBron is going to take Russ into a man to man talk and tell him he HAS to cut down on and work toward eliminating the BRAIN FARTS. If we’re to have a shot. And it’s on Vogel to not tolerate them in crunch time or he won’t be on the floor in crunch time.

 

I think the unforced turnovers are just part of his game. It’s like he can’t help it and I’m not sure any amount of words can fix what’s going on in his head. What can be fixed, IMO, by showing him tape after every game, is his defensive positioning. He has to want to sacrifice his defensive rebounding stats for the betterment of the team by staying within arm’s length of his man. I’m not expecting him to turn into Reaves on D, but I am expecting him to stop floating around the paint, so he can help the team increase it’s ability to stop teams from so easily scoring on us.

 

Yes, and I would include that under the general brain farts category …. inexcusably losing sight of and contact with his man. Seems like during team film sessions this could be hammered home. With the alleged accountability everyone is expected to buy into.

 

I think Vogel's patience will start running thin now that he has options.

 

i don't think it can. no coach has been able to really manage westbrook, and i understand why. his greatest strengths are directly tied to his greatest weaknesses. eliminating the latter eliminates the former. i'm not a dantoni fan, but he was right to just try to work with it rather than against it.

in short: no way vogel benches russ in crunch time (or any other time). we all just have to live with it.