.jpg?itok=KNxyH__o&ssl=1 "Darwin Hamm explains Russell Westbrook: ‘We don’t have time to think about people’s feelings’")
Less than a week after the start of its 2022-2023 season NBA tensions have risen at home Los Angeles Lakers. If a principle with a balance 0-3 wasn’t bad enough, the last loss came in a duel in which they led vs Portland Trail Blazers (106-104) by 7 points with less than 2 minutes remaining. A game in which Russell Westbrook played the fewest minutes of any starter on the team and sat out a crucial moment when the Angels had a chance to win.
After the game, the Lakers coach was asked, DarwinHam, whether or not he was concerned about his decision to sit Westbrook for the final few possessions. The first-time coach didn’t mince his words.
“We don’t have time to think about people’s feelings. I don’t have time for that”Hamm said of the decision to bench the 2017 MVP.
Given the context of the game and the rumors surrounding a possible Westbrook trade, this is much more than a technical decision or margin of error.
In Sunday’s Oct. 23 loss to Portland, Westbrook sat out the first 7:18 of the fourth quarter before coming on with 4:42 left. When Rush returned to the court, LeBron James made a free throw to extend the lead to 98-90. For the next few minutes with Westbrook on the parquet the Angels gave up a 14-4 run and Portland took a 2-point lead with 12.4 seconds left.
At that stretch of the game, Westbrook’s decision to stop for one jump shot from the mid-range +2 for the Lakers has become the source of multiple criticisms. It doesn’t help that the point guard’s miss came on the offensive possession that preceded Damian Lillard’s 3-pointer to give the Blazers the lead.
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With a chance to tie or win with 12.4 seconds left, Hamm pushed Westbrook away, opting instead for an Austin Reaves layup.
The move paid off immediately as James equalised 7.7 seconds leftbut on the next possession, Jerami Grant gave his team the victory with a great energy.
The basket that gave the victory to the Blazers at the home of the Lakers (106-104)
🎯 Jeremy Grant
✅ LeBron James: 31 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists
❌ Russell Westbrook: 4 of 15 on TC, 10 points in 27 minutespic.twitter.com/OTp8XxecK2— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 Spain 🇪 (@sportingnewses) October 23, 2022
Russ had interceptions on each of the final three possessions of the game, another sign that his place with the team is far from secure.
Although it is generally important not to pay too much attention to +/-, this time it is worth emphasizing. In the 4:30 Westbrook was on the court in the fourth quarter, the Lakers had 10 points. The Californians lost the duel by 2.
This matchup itself was a continuation of the 2017 MVP’s struggles since coming to the franchise. He did finish with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, but he was left in a bad shape 4 of 15 (26.7%) shooting from the field.
Westbrook was the only Lakers starter to have a negative +/- in the game.
As tensions continue to rise with each Laker loss, another decision like this from Ham could signal the beginning of the end for Westbrook’s time as a Laker.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the NBA or its organizations.
