Former Thunder Russell Westbrook 'Saved' Clippers Season
The Oklahoma City Thunder have entered a new era full of young talent. The team reflects a similar situation over a decade ago when the team was built on a young core of Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and James Harden.
Westbrook was the longest-tenured player of the original young core for the Thunder. He had built his persona by being beloved by the Thunder community.
After his Thunder tenure, Westbrook had developed a bad rep with NBA fans, and this was primarily during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was able to reinvent himself after being traded and waived at the deadline as he joined the Los Angeles Clippers.
Westbrook played some incredible basketball with the Clippers, and he even played time without either Paul George or Kawhi Leonard.
Clippers head coach Tyronne Lue joined All the Smoke and discussed Westbrook's short time with the squad last season.
"I love Russ. From day one," Lue said on the show. "When you get a guy like that, that plays hard every single night and gives you everything every single night—and he plays every night. And he plays the same way."
The market for Westbrook had seemingly dried up and his value had been shot, but he showed his value during his time with the Clippers. He showed that he's still a relentless player that won't quit for anything, as he showed during the 2017 season when Durant left the organization high and dry.
Lue's comments solidify what Thunder fans had seen all these years.
"Teams that acquire him, you know what you're getting. He's a tough dude, tough-minded." Lue said. "What he did for our season, him and [Mason] Plumlee and Bones [Hyland], Eric Gordon, what Russ and those guys did for the last 20 games of the season, he saved us. [Paul George] goes down, and [Westbrook] went to another level. I love him."
Westbrook's effort and motor is what saved the Thunder so many times over the years. When the energy was out of the gym, Westbrook could easily bring the energy needed to turn things around.
In 21 games and starts with the Clippers, Westbrook averaged 15.8 points per game and 7.6 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc.
Again, the 6-foot-3 point guard's impact didn't come with his counting stats, but rather his relentless attack every night, which is something the Clippers don't quite get from Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
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