Lakers News: Russell Westbrook Got Into It With Jaden McDaniels In Timberwolves Game
"Huddlegate" or no "Huddlegate", Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook did not serve up a particularly pleasing brand of basketball during L.A.'s 118-113 Wednesday night preseason loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. How much impact his performance had on Darvin Ham's decision try the 6'3" vet as a reserve tonight is hard to say, as purportedly the Lakers head coach had been discussing such a move with Westbrook throughout the offseason.
Early in the first quarter, Westbrook was already in late-game form. After nailing a triple from the top of the three-point arc, Timberwolves starting small forward Jaden McDaniels ran up and started roughly jockeying for position beneath the basket with Westbrook for the rebound. Keep in mind, a rebound at this point would not be counted statistically, as once the ball went into the bucket, the game clock would have stopped. McDaniels did wind up securing the ball, which he then immediately dished to Westbrook, so that the L.A. guard could then head beneath the stanchion and in-bound the basketball to resume play.
But Westbrook, annoyed by what he considered unnecessary shenanigans with a dead ball, wasn't in the mood.
After receiving a perhaps-loaded chest pass from McDaniels, Westbrook angrily threw the ball right back at McDaniels. Surprised and, it would appear, also somewhat irritated, McDaniels tossed the ball to Westbrook again. Westbrook repeated his action, throwing the ball back to McDaniels again.
At this point, a referee had to step in to separate Westbrook and a lingering Patrick Beverley and LeBron James from McDaniels. It appears Beverley was pleading Westbrook's case.
Keep in mind, the score at this point was 7-3, and what was actually being protested was decorum during a break in the action. In Westbrook's defense, it does appear that McDaniels was overexerting himself for a ball that was going to be the Lakers' anyway.
It was a strange moment, in an otherwise uninspiring Lakers effort. Though LeBron James and Anthony Davis played well through three quarters, the team's guard-heavy rotations doomed them against the taller Timberwolves.
Westbrook had five points on 1-of-3 shooting from the floor (and 3-of-6 shooting from the free-throw line), plus four assists, three rebounds, and a block.
L.A. will try to improve its cumulative preseason record to 2-4 tonight in Sacramento against the Kings at 7 p.m. PT, on an ESPN broadcast.
