Who’s Going To Be The Third?
The NBA and the entire Laker fan base in particular has been hyping up the Los Angeles Lakers’ new Big 3 and for (arguably) good reason. We definitely know who the two stars are, and we also know who everyone is vouching for as the third Lakers poster child. The question now stands; is Russell Westbrook really the third poster child that the Lakers need right now?
If you’re gonna argue that it really is him, you have a lot on your plate when it comes to defending the Lakers front office’s decision in acquiring two elite point guards in Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook. Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s just the season opener and a lot can happen in the next 81 games. But it still doesn’t negate the fact that season openers are a big deal for the players and their respective teams. It’s their chance to show off their dominance and their efficiency as a team on the court.
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Just looking at the numbers of their first game, their dominance and efficiency were lacking to say the least. Westbrook went on 35 minutes running down the court with neither factors at his disposal. As the starting point guard, you’d want your main ball general to direct action and orchestrate plays that could lead to a good look at the basket. But it looked like Westbrook was orchestrating a game where the main priority of the Lakers’ big men should be getting his rebounds. Shooting at a horrendous 30% FG%, 0–4 3PT, 4 TOs, and a -23 plus-minus, Westbrook was nowhere near the output that everyone expected him to have.
No matter what your excuse is for the former league MVP, his performance tonight was just disappointing. As a starting point guard, we never expected Westbrook to give a high output when it comes to field goals since they already have two of the big three to rely on for a high FG output. But when it’s as bad as only making 4 shots in the entire game (3 of those 4 being under the basket), it really gets you thinking of what Westbrook’s role really is.
What about assists? Surely if the front office knew that they didn’t need Westbrook for FGs, they wanted him for assists. If that’s the case, you should also put into perspective that Rondo had more assists and less turnovers in 19 minutes than Westbrook had in his 35 minutes on the court.
If the Lakers are faithful in making Brodie their 3rd poster child, they really need to figure out how he can match the team’s play-style, how he can be more efficient with his time on the court, and how he can get the output that they expected from him when they orchestrated that crazy five-team trade last August. Do you think the purple and gold can make it work?
Or is this another LA Kawhi x PG-esque gamble that’ll hurt the Lakers’ chance of getting their 18th banner?
