Has there ever been a player who destroyed a contender the way current Westbrook did?

[RRR3]

The Lakers were the champs in 2020, first seed in 2021 before injuries messed them up and even then very likely at minimum make the finals if AD doesn't go down in the playoffs. Then Westbrook arrives and they can't even make the play-in (LeBron and AD missed a ton of games it's true, but even when healthy the team didn't play well). More of the same this year until Westbrook is traded and the Lakers suddenly look like a great team again, and even after LeBron gets injured yet again they continue to play well without him (a huge contrast to how they played without him pre-trade). Meanwhile, Westbrook has joined the Clippers who were on a hot streak before he arrived, and they are 2-5 since they acquired him. Westbrook was a great player in his prime, but his refusal to admit he no longer is seemingly makes him the most cancerous player in NBA history. It's truly incredible one man can destroy a good team like this.

[nayte]

Dude you have said this in multiple threads . No need for its own.
You are right either way

[RRR3]

Dude you have said this in multiple threads . No need for its own.
You are right either way
If I start a thread, there's a chance one of the board's historians will know another player who has negatively impacted a team like this. I'm honestly curious.

[Axe]

Dude you have said this in multiple threads . No need for its own.
:oldlol:

[ImKobe]

Lakers did a poor job building around WB/Bran/AD + Bran & AD were constantly injured. WB's contract also made them a really top-heavy team so of course they're a lot better without him when they got 3 solid players in return with D'lo being an upgrade over Russ by himself.

[RRR3]

Lakers did a poor job building around WB/Bran/AD + Bran & AD were constantly injured. WB's contract also made them a really top-heavy team so of course they're a lot better without him when they got 3 solid players in return with D'lo being an upgrade over Russ by himself.
Who could they have signed that made them a good team with WB? You're also ignoring the team played mediocre even when LeBron and AD were healthy.

[Kblaze8855]

Lebron and AD missing like 120 games the last 3 years is probably reason enough to not wonder why they stopped contending. There hasn’t been reason to turn on a laker game for years. Everytime you try it’s some random grab bag of role players filling in or one of them working their way back or playing 20 minutes then going to the back. It’s like trying to watch the nets the last few years. Theoretically a great lineup, but it never plays together more than a week. Just a bunch of wasted national TV games. Wouldn’t be shit with or without Westbrook under those conditions and they aren’t now. Teams aren’t good when you win a few games or bad when you lose a few. You’re what you consistently are. And the Lakers are consistently injured and are injured right now. Whether they win a few in a row or lose a few doesn’t matter to the big picture. What did the Knicks just win like 10 straight?

You matter or you don’t. The lakers have not mattered for a few years because their stars play together like 30 times a season. The rest is just struggling for talking point because any team with Lebron just has to be talked about all day. But there’s really nothing to analyze.

Stars aren’t playing together for any meaningful length of time…team isn’t good. Got it. No deep dive required.

[RRR3]

Lebron and AD missing like 120 games the last 3 years is probably reason enough to not wonder why they stopped contending. There hasn’t been reason to turn on a laker game for years. Everytime you try it’s some random grab bag of role players filling in or one of them working their way back or playing 20 minutes then going to the back. It’s like trying to watch the nets the last few years. Theoretically a great lineup, but it never plays together more than a week. Just a bunch of wasted national TV games. Wouldn’t be shit with or without Westbrook under those conditions and they aren’t now. Teams aren’t good when you win a few games or bad when you lose a few. You’re what you consistently are. And the Lakers are consistently injured and are injured right now. Whether they win a few in a row or lose a few doesn’t matter to the big picture. What did the Knicks just win like 10 straight?

You matter or you don’t. The lakers have not mattered for a few years because their stars play together like 30 times a season. The rest is just struggling for talking point because any team with Lebron just has to be talked about all day. But there’s really nothing to analyze.

Stars aren’t playing together for any meaningful length of time…team isn’t good. Got it. No deep dive required.
I just did some research and the Lakers were 11-13 when all 3 played together this year and 11-10 when all 3 played last year. Which means over the course of one and a half seasons, the trio put up a 22-23 record. That is not good. Can't blame their struggles on injuries when they weren't good even when healthy.

[Kblaze8855]

10-11 in an 82 game season? And you think that shows injury isn’t an issue? You think the record from random appearances in and out of lineups means injuries aren’t an issue?

The lakers have been a “But if not for the injury….” team for 5 years outside the covid season with the long break to get healthy for a playoff run.

For 5 years I’ve been hearing “Yea but when Lebron played they were….” or “When AD comes back”.

That team barely ever existed as envisioned. I bet AD left injured in 4 of the 21 games you referenced.

Nothing that team did or didn’t do is even worth talking about. Just a bunch of noise over a team that is rarely justified because it’s always Lebron or AD and 8 guys who seem shocked to be on the floor.

Team barely plays together for any extended period of time to judge them. We just get force fed stories because it’s in LA and Lebron is on the roster even if not on the court.

Team has been nothing to talk about most of the last half decade because it’s never a real team. I literally don’t even turn on laker games anymore. Just have to deal with dozens of topics on an injured so what team because Lebron is on it.

They aren’t even that interesting as they have been. People just can’t talk about much else.

[RRR3]

10-11 in an 82 game season? And you think that shows injury isn’t an issue? You think the record from random appearances in and out of lineups means injuries aren’t an issue?

The lakers have been a “But if not for the injury….” team for 5 years outside the covid season with the long break to get healthy for a playoff run.

For 5 years I’ve been hearing “Yea but when Lebron played they were….” or “When AD comes back”.

That team barely ever existed as envisioned. I bet AD left injured in 4 of the 21 games you referenced.

Nothing that team did or didn’t do is even worth talking about. Just a bunch of noise over a team that is rarely justified because it’s always Lebron or AD and 8 guys who seem shocked to be on the floor.

Team barely plays together for any extended period of time to judge them. We just get force fed stories because it’s in LA and Lebron is on the roster even if not on the court.

Team has been nothing to talk about most of the last half decade because it’s never a real team. I literally don’t even turn on laker games anymore. Just have to deal with dozens of topics on an injured so what team because Lebron is on it.

They aren’t even that interesting as they have been. People just can’t talk about much else.
They were 10-13 with all three playing this year, bringing the total to 22-23, see the edit. That's a discernible pattern and I would say any team with LeBron and Anthony Davis going 22-23 over a 45 game span should raise alarm bells. Additionally, the Lakers were 42-30 with LeBron and Davis missing huge chunks of time in 2021, so that isn't a good argument either. That's not a "if not for injury team", they still made the playoffs even with severe injury problems back then. So what changed? I don't know how much more evidence you need of current Westbrook being destructive, at this point you're just ignoring the evidence to be pedantic.

[post]

curse of the bald mamba

https://i.ibb.co/svx0k0N/pp-840x830-pad-1000x1000-f8f8f8-1.jpg

[Nb1]

Lakers did a poor job building around WB/Bran/AD + Bran & AD were constantly injured. WB's contract also made them a really top-heavy team so of course they're a lot better without him when they got 3 solid players in return with D'lo being an upgrade over Russ by himself.

I feel it's a mix with this. The whole roster was just a mess and didn't fit. Add WB who plays crazy, turns the ball over all the time, can't shoot, etc and its a recipe for disaster.

I'm sure with this exact roster now and with WB it would be much better. But i don't ever want to see Russ playing for us again tho.
I like the team now and if Bron comes back and we stay healthy we can go far!

[Kblaze8855]

They were 10-13 with all three playing this year, bringing the total to 22-23, see the edit. That's a discernible pattern and I would say any team with LeBron and Anthony Davis going 22-23 over a 45 game span should raise alarm bells. Additionally, the Lakers were 42-30 with LeBron and Davis missing huge chunks of time in 2021, so that isn't a good argument either. That's not a "if not for injury team", they still made the playoffs even with severe injury problems back then. So what changed? I don't know how much more evidence you need of current Westbrook being destructive, at this point you're just ignoring the evidence to be pedantic.



You are talking to me about a champion team that turned to a 7th seed and went out in the first round largely due to injury and using that season as evidence injury “isn’t” the main issue.

At this point there’s little left to say. Two stars who miss what will end up hundreds of games before they’re done together is a lesser issue than the presumed third guy on the team that was doomed either way.

And we have to discuss it because one of the stars is Lebron. So be it.

[Manny98]

Literally only one of the Clippers losses was on Russ, he's been solid for them

He was just a bad fit on the Lakers, more Pelinkas fault for trading for him in the first place

The constant Westbrook bashing is getting boring at this point

[Axe]

You are talking to me about a champion team that turned to a 7th seed and went out in the first round largely due to injury and using that season as evidence injury “isn’t” the main issue.

At this point there’s little left to say. Two stars who miss what will end up hundreds of games before they’re done together is a lesser issue than the presumed third guy on the team that was doomed either way.

And we have to discuss it because one of the stars is Lebron. So be it.
:milton

[8Ball]

This is all very obvious.


After 2018, if your point guard can't shoot free throws, can't shoot 3s, can't finish at the rim, is inefficient, and is also high turnover prone, you will not win many basketball games in this era.

The league went extremely heavy with the 3 pointer at around 2017/2018.

[ImKobe]

Who could they have signed that made them a good team with WB? You're also ignoring the team played mediocre even when LeBron and AD were healthy.

They didn't have any depth in the front court before Bryant & Rui and they looked pretty solid when healthy for a stretch there. They got robbed on some of the end of game calls as well but were still an above .500 team despite Bran & AD injuries from Nov 13th up until the ASB (25 - 22 in that stretch). The 2 - 10 start was mostly due to historically bad shooting (Beverley, Walker and Lebron played a big part in it) and Russ was like the only one knocking down 3s at that time (36% from 3 in those 12 games). Schroder has also been a game changer for them as well and he wasn't available for the start of the season.

I'm not saying the Lakers needed Russ but he wasn't THAT bad this season, especially with him accepting the bench role. It's just tough to win games when your two superstars constantly get hurt and you don't have great depth nor shooting around them. Clippers & Warriors are only 1 game ahead and they're supposed to be a lot deeper than the Lakers.

[1987_Lakers]

They didn't have any depth in the front court before Bryant & Rui and they looked pretty solid when healthy for a stretch there. They got robbed on some of the end of game calls as well but were still an above .500 team despite Bran & AD injuries from Nov 13th up until the ASB (25 - 22 in that stretch). The 2 - 10 start was mostly due to historically bad shooting (Beverley, Walker and Lebron played a big part in it) and Russ was like the only one knocking down 3s at that time (36% from 3 in those 12 games). Schroder has also been a game changer for them as well and he wasn't available for the start of the season.

I'm not saying the Lakers needed Russ but he wasn't THAT bad this season, especially with him accepting the bench role. It's just tough to win games when your two superstars constantly get hurt and you don't have great depth nor shooting around them. Clippers & Warriors are only 1 game ahead and they're supposed to be a lot deeper than the Lakers.

49.6 TS% with the Lakers this season.

He was atrocious. But then again, you have a thing for chuckers, ala kobe. The fact that we are starting to win games once he left says alot.

[ImKobe]

49.6 TS% with the Lakers this season.

He was atrocious. But then again, you have a thing for chuckers, ala kobe. The fact that we are starting to win games once he left says alot.

Like I said, they were 25 - 22 for a 47-game stretch once they got some depth with T.Bryant, Schroder & eventually Rui, and that's with Bran & AD being out with injuries for a bunch of those games. Everyone knows his TS% number is awful, it's been that way for 5 years now, but they didn't get him for his scoring ability.

[Indian guy]

Even had LA simply gotten rid of WB and not picked up Vanderbilt/DLo/Beasley, their record would still be notably better. All impact data has WB as a massive net-negative. The team was always going to be better off without his mere presence alone. You stop playing a high-usage guy who can't shoot, finish, defend and is allergic to sound decision making and suddenly winning becomes a lot easier. That's what's happening in LA right now.

[Phoenix]

Even had LA simply gotten rid of WB and not picked up Vanderbilt/DLo/Beasley, their record would still be notably better. All impact data has WB as a massive net-negative. The team was always going to be better off without his mere presence alone. You stop playing a high-usage guy who can't shoot, finish, defend and is allergic to sound decision making and suddenly winning becomes a lot easier. That's what's happening in LA right now.

I was thinking this earlier. Just removing Westbrook off the team without replacing him with anyone likely pays dividends in the W/L column. Good chance the Clippers win alot more of the games they've lost since they got him. He's simply not starter worthy when his athleticism is no longer good enough to balance out his shaky decision making. If he had some semblance of a respectable jumpshot you could move him off-ball but he's managed to get worse in the dept over the past 6-7 years.

[ImKobe]

Even had LA simply gotten rid of WB and not picked up Vanderbilt/DLo/Beasley, their record would still be notably better. All impact data has WB as a massive net-negative. The team was always going to be better off without his mere presence alone. You stop playing a high-usage guy who can't shoot, finish, defend and is allergic to sound decision making and suddenly winning becomes a lot easier. That's what's happening in LA right now.

I don't think so with the depth issues they had. He was pretty neutral by all the metrics so he wasn't killing the team offensively if you're looking at his RAPTOR/EPM or just the raw On/Off numbers. Lakers would have been worse off, especially during the time when Lebron was injured and Russ was basically the only player setting up AD for easy baskets.

There's value in what he does but it's on the coaches to not have him out there deciding close games. Clippers had injury issues and played some tough teams when they started out 0 - 5 with him and he was a positive on the court in a few of those losses with the non-Russ minutes being an issue. He's been a net-positive player on the Clippers and a positive in 4 out of 7 games by raw +/- numbers with decent offensive production.

[RRR3]

Like I said, they were 25 - 22 for a 47-game stretch once they got some depth with T.Bryant, Schroder & eventually Rui, and that's with Bran & AD being out with injuries for a bunch of those games. Everyone knows his TS% number is awful, it's been that way for 5 years now, but they didn't get him for his scoring ability.
You can’t just remove the 2-10 start, you’re cherry-picking like you always do. 22-23 with all 3 of them healthy over 1.5 years. That’s atrocious. LeBron and AD won a ring together and with WB they couldn’t even play .500 ball. Clearly on WB

[RRR3]

I was thinking this earlier. Just removing Westbrook off the team without replacing him with anyone likely pays dividends in the W/L column. Good chance the Clippers win alot more of the games they've lost since they got him. He's simply not starter worthy when his athleticism is no longer good enough to balance out his shaky decision making. If he had some semblance of a respectable jumpshot you could move him off-ball but he's managed to get worse in the dept over the past 6-7 years.
Westbrook would still be useful if he played intelligently but he refuses to do so.

[Kblaze8855]

You can’t just remove the 2-10 start, you’re cherry-picking like you always do. 22-23 with all 3 of them healthy over 1.5 years. That’s atrocious. LeBron and AD won a ring together and with WB they couldn’t even play .500 ball. Clearly on WB


They were in the play in in 2021 with Ad and Lebron missing 62 combined games of 72 and had to beat the warriors to go and missed the play in the next season by a single game with Lebron and AD missing nearly 70 games. Obviously an extra 70 games of Lebron and or AD gets them a win or 3 extra and they’re in the same
boat.


In the play in not really mattering.

Nothing Westbrook does or doesn’t do makes that team matter when these guys miss 70 gotdamn games. You’re talking about if a team is gonna be shit or piss.

Injuries are the culprit. The record in games from 3 day stretches of health dropped at random doesn’t change it. Have they ever played 10 games in a row?

The way their stars sit out they’re a play in team no matter what. Throw an extra 70 games of chemistry building and sheer star power they would stumble into the few more wins to be in the playoffs. They just climbed into the picture without Lebron. They’re always a hot week from going up 2-3 seeds and dozens of extra games of star power would make that likely.

Might as well go talk about the clippers underachieving the last few years.

[RRR3]

They were in the play in in 2021 with Ad and Lebron missing 62 combined games of 72 and had to beat the warriors to go and missed the play in the next season by a single game with Lebron and AD missing nearly 70 games. Obviously an extra 70 games of Lebron and or AD gets them a win or 3 extra and they’re in the same
boat.


In the play in not really mattering.

Nothing Westbrook does or doesn’t do makes that team matter when these guys miss 70 gotdamn games. You’re talking about if a team is gonna be shit or piss.

Injuries are the culprit. The record in games from 3 day stretches of health dropped at random doesn’t change it. Have they ever played 10 games in a row?

The way their stars sit out they’re a play in team no matter what. Throw an extra 70 games of chemistry building and sheer star power they would stumble into the few more wins to be in the playoffs. They just climbed into the picture without Lebron. They’re always a hot week from going up 2-3 seeds and dozens of extra games of star power would make that likely.

Might as well go talk about the clippers underachieving the last few years.
Why are you acting like a 42-30 team is similar to a 33-49 one?

[Kblaze8855]

Why are you acting like it matters if you’re a play in team or miss it by one game? None of this shit matters. Just extra attention on injury ravaged teams because Lebron is one of the injured stars. They went from being the Knicks to being the Pelicans(winning percentage wise). Would you rather be the Knicks? Sure if the better pick doesn’t interest you. Does it….matter? No.

It’s an injured ass team vs an injured ass team with a different lineup…

As I said…with the dozens of extra games by Lebron and AD they obviously win more than the one more needed to be in the play in they were in the season before. And with extra games the season before they would have been even better.

But with those injuries as a constant it’s just a question of how much the injuries make them suck not if they will suck or not.

Lebron and AD being injury prone is the reason the lakers don’t matter. Westbrook doesnt make them good or bad on his own.

[RRR3]

Westbrook being the difference between a 48 win team (over an 82 game season) and a 33 win team is notable whether you like it or not. Westbrook failing to even reach .500 playing 45 games with two of the best players in the league is notable as well.

[Kblaze8855]

At a glance 9 of the top 12 players in total minutes on the 2021 Lakers weren’t on the 2022 Lakers but whatever. “Notable”.

Keep up what I’m sure you think is the good fight. You’re obviously very invested in your repetitive daily posts about the same people tangentially related to Lebron discussion and I only have so much of it in me at any given moment. I’ll be back when the Bucks and warriors play later but hopefully it will keep my attention instead of your crusade to downplay the impact of stars never playing or developing chemistry with all new teammates.

[Indian guy]

He was pretty neutral by all the metrics so he wasn't killing the team offensively if you're looking at his RAPTOR/EPM or just the raw On/Off numbers.

I don't know where you're getting neutral from.

- His on/off on LA was -1.7, which was the 3rd worst of any rotation player on the team
- His RAPTOR is -2.2, ranked 207th in the league
- His RPM is -2.96, ranked 305th in the league
- Only notable stat where he isn't in the negatives is EPM at +0.2, ranking 129th in the league

Lakers would've comfortably been a better team without Westbrook even without those other acquisitions.

[imdaman99]

Yep, Rockets were defending champs when Westbrook joined them, Wiz were defending champs when he was traded there, Lakers had just come off a 3peat and he came over to injure the Lakers and turn them into non competes and now he joins the clippers and they start losing to teams like the nuggets and kings, teams that suck. Clips were championship favorites and now they haven't won a game in months.

The only conclusion I can come up with is that Lebron has only played with trash his entire career.

[RRR3]

At a glance 9 of the top 12 players in total minutes on the 2021 Lakers weren’t on the 2022 Lakers but whatever. “Notable”.

Keep up what I’m sure you think is the good fight. You’re obviously very invested in your repetitive daily posts about the same people tangentially related to Lebron discussion and I only have so much of it in me at any given moment. I’ll be back when the Bucks and warriors play later but hopefully it will keep my attention instead of your crusade to downplay the impact of stars never playing or developing chemistry with all new teammates.
I’m bringing facts to this discussion and you’re bringing opinions, but keep acting smug if you want.

[RRR3]

Yep, Rockets were defending champs when Westbrook joined them, Wiz were defending champs when he was traded there, Lakers had just come off a 3peat and he came over to injure the Lakers and turn them into non competes and now he joins the clippers and they start losing to teams like the nuggets and kings, teams that suck. Clips were championship favorites and now they haven't won a game in months.

The only conclusion I can come up with is that Lebron has only played with trash his entire career.
None of this was said. Idk why you can’t admit the truth about your guy when it’s so glaringly obvious. I defended Westbrook a lot when he was in his prime but he’s old and washed up now. It’s not a reflection of his career I said over and over again I’m referring to his current play.

[imdaman99]

None of this was said. Idk why you can’t admit the truth about your guy when it’s so glaringly obvious. I defended Westbrook a lot when he was in his prime but he’s old and washed up now. It’s not a reflection of his career I said over and over again I’m referring to his current play.

First of all, stop acting like you give a shit about the clippers sucking when you only use it for your agenda. Yall used to troll the Clippers and that hbk dude all the time. Westbrook sucked with the lakers no doubt, but they weren't winning with him or without him last year. This year he has managed to get talent back to the team in a much needed way, which makes them contenders again. Stop acting like without those guys and simply dropping westbrook would have made them contenders again. And they did lose Pat Bev as well, which was also an improvement to their offense.

He didn't destroy a contender. He simply put them in limbo which might be worse. He had an albatross of a contract which is HOW HE WAS ABLE TO GET DECENT PLAYERS BACK TO THE TEAM. Guess what, if he was making $2 million like you seem to think he deserves, they would not get any talent back for him. Just be happy Lebron can root for his team winning again without the eggshells that it was with Westbrook. This crusade lebron stans have for all his ex-teammates is embarrassing.

[RRR3]

It’s not just an agenda when it’s strongly supported by statistical evidence. To use an example you will like more, it would be like saying someone stating LeBron is a below average free throw shooter means they have an agenda.

[Kblaze8855]

I’m bringing facts to this discussion and you’re bringing opinions, but keep acting smug if you want.


I’m acting the way I always act when I read a bad argument. Somewhere between smug and incredulous. You tell me one player is the difference between two teams that are literally 80% different players then talk to me about “facts” like you’re some reasonable observer making indisputable points. You are what everyone else is on subjects they simply won’t stop talking about. Emotionally compromised.

You say the same shit dozens and dozens of times in topics like you’re gonna make someone see the light of your brilliant observations and…it isn’t happening. If you believe it…fine. I don’t care what you think he is. But you seem to really really care that others see it your way. I rarely enter a topic even loosely laker related because I know who is gonna be there and why but generally when I click one eventually you arrive with a “fresh” Russ take. I feel like I’ve seen you say “I used to really like….” about him 68 times which is amazing when…as I mentioned…I don’t generally enter topics on these subjects.

Im either stumbling over you on one of these missions at a crazy rate or…you just do it a lot. And like I said that’s ok. It just isn’t effective. I’m watching Russ play right now. He just missed a fast break layup and turned it over earlier on a weird post up. Got a layup goaltended. Created some open looks. He just fouled Randle on an unnecessary reach in during a late shot clock post up. Dumb foul. Some good drives. It’s…him.

Im not getting new information from you. Anyone here who cares enough already thinks what they think and don’t much factor in your “facts”. I don’t know what you think happens when you keep posting them. As much as you interacted with 3ball you should know that all that comes of obsessively pointing out the same thing is people stop listening.

Mix it up and maybe get new reactions. I don’t know who you expect to come around after this long.

At some point you’re just Frank Grimes losing his mind over people not hating Homer



https://youtu.be/0uqGKCDV1j8

[BarberSchool]

I fully agree that Westbrick is a terrible, selfish, no conscience having, turnover and bad shot machine.

But let’s not act like he single-handedly ruined the post-bubble-ring Lakers. He had plenty of help from day-to-Davis constantly being out, and LeBron not playing defense until the last few minutes, and also being out for long stretches.

Would have been much more entertaining if LeBron & AD did their part, and got them into the second round, only to have Westbrick shoot them out of a few key games, and average 37%FG & 6+TO/game for the post-season.

[AlternativeAcc.]

Westbrook and his 50 million dollar contract absolutely ruined the Lakers. Anyone arguing otherwise is a massive moron.

[BarberSchool]

^LeFraud probably spent many hours daydreaming in practice and during games, on what free agents Lake show could have signed with that 44-50mil annual salary for this low IQ low efficiency, selfish turnover machine. Regretting every second of Westbrick’s stay there.

Davis makes a metric ton salary too, but difference is, AD only hurts by frequent omission.

Russel hurts by both omission (eating up cap space without consistently contributing anything to winning), but Westbrick also hurts the squad, by inclusion/addition, since a lot of his “contributions” are extractive from team success, and really only serve to his own self-aggrandizing, highlight-seeking, stat-padding, high risk low reward actions, horrifically team-chemistry-sabotaging-timing, and “middle school superstar out for glory” braindead decisions.

[SATAN]

Gonna be interesting seeing what his contract looks like next season.

[kawhileonard2]

The Lakers were the champs in 2020, first seed in 2021 before injuries messed them up and even then very likely at minimum make the finals if AD doesn't go down in the playoffs. Then Westbrook arrives and they can't even make the play-in (LeBron and AD missed a ton of games it's true, but even when healthy the team didn't play well). More of the same this year until Westbrook is traded and the Lakers suddenly look like a great team again, and even after LeBron gets injured yet again they continue to play well without him (a huge contrast to how they played without him pre-trade). Meanwhile, Westbrook has joined the Clippers who were on a hot streak before he arrived, and they are 2-5 since they acquired him. Westbrook was a great player in his prime, but his refusal to admit he no longer is seemingly makes him the most cancerous player in NBA history. It's truly incredible one man can destroy a good team like this.

No the Clippers are thriving with Westbrook. Lebron couldn't make the playoffs with him.

[John8204]

Gonna be interesting seeing what his contract looks like next season.

I think it's 50/50 he ends up overseas.

[Manny98]

Clippers 4-0 since OP made this thread :oldlol:

https://media.giphy.com/media/5qFQfYUaBhSrbHNtIC/giphy.gif

[ImKobe]

Clippers 4-0 since OP made this thread :oldlol:

https://media.giphy.com/media/5qFQfYUaBhSrbHNtIC/giphy.gif

Been a positive on the court in 6 out of 9 games for the Clippers. +4.5 Net Rating with him on the court & -0.3 without him on the season. Let Russ Cook!

[Manny98]

Another big win, BeastBrook playing his best basketball in years :applause:

Another L for OP

https://media.giphy.com/media/xUPGcAPlfFK4ltfMas/giphy-downsized-large.gif

[BallsOut]

I’m acting the way I always act when I read a bad argument. Somewhere between smug and incredulous. You tell me one player is the difference between two teams that are literally 80% different players then talk to me about “facts” like you’re some reasonable observer making indisputable points. You are what everyone else is on subjects they simply won’t stop talking about. Emotionally compromised.

You say the same shit dozens and dozens of times in topics like you’re gonna make someone see the light of your brilliant observations and…it isn’t happening. If you believe it…fine. I don’t care what you think he is. But you seem to really really care that others see it your way. I rarely enter a topic even loosely laker related because I know who is gonna be there and why but generally when I click one eventually you arrive with a “fresh” Russ take. I feel like I’ve seen you say “I used to really like….” about him 68 times which is amazing when…as I mentioned…I don’t generally enter topics on these subjects.

Im either stumbling over you on one of these missions at a crazy rate or…you just do it a lot. And like I said that’s ok. It just isn’t effective. I’m watching Russ play right now. He just missed a fast break layup and turned it over earlier on a weird post up. Got a layup goaltended. Created some open looks. He just fouled Randle on an unnecessary reach in during a late shot clock post up. Dumb foul. Some good drives. It’s…him.

Im not getting new information from you. Anyone here who cares enough already thinks what they think and don’t much factor in your “facts”. I don’t know what you think happens when you keep posting them. As much as you interacted with 3ball you should know that all that comes of obsessively pointing out the same thing is people stop listening.

Mix it up and maybe get new reactions. I don’t know who you expect to come around after this long.

At some point you’re just Frank Grimes losing his mind over people not hating Homer



https://youtu.be/0uqGKCDV1j8

Kblaze ethering and exposing RRR3

:bowdown:

[Full Court]

"Wwaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh Westbrook waaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! :cry:"


Lebron is the only player in the history of the sport to lead a super team (and a preseason favorite) to the lottery.

[kawhileonard2]

The Lakers were the champs in 2020, first seed in 2021 before injuries messed them up and even then very likely at minimum make the finals if AD doesn't go down in the playoffs. Then Westbrook arrives and they can't even make the play-in (LeBron and AD missed a ton of games it's true, but even when healthy the team didn't play well). More of the same this year until Westbrook is traded and the Lakers suddenly look like a great team again, and even after LeBron gets injured yet again they continue to play well without him (a huge contrast to how they played without him pre-trade). Meanwhile, Westbrook has joined the Clippers who were on a hot streak before he arrived, and they are 2-5 since they acquired him. Westbrook was a great player in his prime, but his refusal to admit he no longer is seemingly makes him the most cancerous player in NBA history. It's truly incredible one man can destroy a good team like this.

Westbrook made them good as well. Never missed playoffs playing with another star half the season until Lebron came along. Prove me wrong!

[Manny98]

One of the worst backfired threads in recent memory

Clippers can't stop winning with Russ

https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNDAzZDRlOTJkOWJjNzE5ZWYxYmUyMTA zMTFlOTdmNTNiZTM3MGVlZSZjdD1n/MXlut5VaQQDKhP7QQ8/giphy.gif

[LeGoat4Life]

RRR3 taking a huge L like Lebron :lol

Our Boy Russ just keeps winning and going to the playoff once again

Funny how Russ only MISS the playoff once Ledeadweight recruited him :oldlol:

[ImKobe]

Low IQ Bran stan is wrong again :kobe:

[Real Men Wear Green]

The impact of Westbrook will be misunderstood by anyone that thinks he's a terrible addition to any team just like it will be misunderstood by anyone that thinks he's a good addition to any team. Russell Westbrook, especially with the decline he's had over the last few years, is a great player for a team that just wants to be respectable and doesn't have a star. Most great guards are at the least good shooters. Westbrook is not so it's hard for him to compliment other great ballhandlers. He might just be the worst point guard for Lebron james who just wants a jumpshooter that can bring the ball up the floor. They maybe even should have tried making James play off the ball even though that solution is flawed because James is a better playmaker than Westbrook. It works out better on the Clippers because George and Leonard don't dominate the ball like James and have to take so much time off. Unlike the Lakers where he was a liability the Clippers need that triple double machine.

The problem will be in the playoffs if/when Leonard are George are out there in the clutch. Lue will be challenged to make Westbrook useful in that situation because that's when you want the ball in Leonard's hands. But games like last night when they don't have their stars Westbrook is great for them to have around.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Revenge arc looming :lol

I knew Westbrook could still play, but thought his game would hurt a contender. PG and Kawhi were out though and Russ got to do his thing. Would like to see more of this...an efficient and productive game...while both are on the floor.

[Manny98]

https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExYTg2ZDRkNDI1N2NjMmM3ZjQwNGQwODR jMTQ5NGMwNWYzYTM4ZmM1OSZjdD1n/uFnKQKeOqkkmlPhjqH/giphy.gif

[dazzer87]

Another bran stan with low IQ……:lol

[Full Court]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F29%2Fc a%2F3b%2F29ca3b8295f7c239c8ff559e1b9b5bcb.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=5e184bed10a27ebe41bedf3b2f20feddf4b3c20d913a7f 200c77c8f16f2f7cd9&ipo=images

[RRR3]

Dimwits ITT. Russ was benched in the second half thats why they won

[Kblaze8855]

Dimwits ITT. Russ was benched in the second half thats why they won


They were up like 20 at halftime weren’t they?

[tontoz]

Sometimes you just have to take the L and move on :oldlol:

Russ fit in fine with the wizards and seems to be fitting in well with the clippers. Sure he has issues and isn't what he used to be but he isn't a cancer.

[SouBeachTalents]

Sometimes you just have to take the L and move on :oldlol:

Russ fit in fine with the wizards and seems to be fitting in well with the clippers. Sure he has issues and isn't what he used to be but he isn't a cancer.
He was a terrible fit with the Lakers, but we'll see how Russ looks come playoff time. Ever since his MVP year he's been absolutely atrocious in the playoffs.

[RRR3]

Sometimes you just have to take the L and move on :oldlol:

Russ fit in fine with the wizards and seems to be fitting in well with the clippers. Sure he has issues and isn't what he used to be but he isn't a cancer.
Fitting in so well they have a losing record when he plays :applause:

[tontoz]

Fitting in so well they have a losing record when he plays :applause:


9-10 after starting off 0-5

*Yawn*

[RRR3]

9-10 after starting off 0-5

*Yawn*
You can't just remove the 0-5 part :facepalm

Making ImKobe look intelligent with this kind of cherrypicking. How fitting your name means stupid in Spanish.

[tontoz]

You can't just remove the 0-5 part :facepalm

Making ImKobe look intelligent with this kind of cherrypicking. How fitting your name means stupid in Spanish.



You do realize that pg13 has missed the last 7 games, right?

Adding a significant piece in the middle of the season will obviously require some adjustments. Not hard to understand.

[RRR3]

You do realize that pg13 has missed the last 7 games, right?

Adding a significant piece in the middle of the season will obviously require some adjustments. Not hard to understand.
The Lakers were instantly good with their new pieces :lol

Pretending Disasterbrook is good in 2023 just because youre still asshurt LeBron is better than your hero Curry :facepalm sad

[tontoz]

The Lakers were instantly good with their new pieces :lol

Pretending Disasterbrook is good in 2023 just because youre still asshurt LeBron is better than your hero Curry :facepalm sad



You are really getting desperate. Where did I ever say Curry was better than LeBron?

If you are talking about this year sure I think Curry is better. Career wise? No

Russ is averaging 15/7.6 with a TS of 55.6% with the clippers . Nothing wrong with what he is doing there.

The Lakers didn't add one guy they added several . They upgraded their talent level significantly. That is very different from picking up someone off waivers.

[RRR3]

You are really getting desperate. Where did I ever say Curry was better than LeBron?

If you are talking about this year sure I think Curry is better. Career wise? No

Russ is averaging 15/7.6 with a TS of 55.6% with the clippers . Nothing wrong with what he is doing there.

The Lakers didn't add one guy they added several . They upgraded their talent level significantly. That is very different from picking up someone off waivers.
55.6 TS% is still bad in todays league. Especially considering he is frequently not even guarded. League average is 58.1%. And that’s with him shooting far better than he ever has before from 3-10 feet and 10-16 feet. Do you really think it would last for a whole season? The Lakers added DLo and scrubs, if that’s massively better than Westbrook not a good look for him.

[tontoz]

55.6 TS% is still bad in todays league. Especially considering he is frequently not even guarded. League average is 58.1%. And that’s with him shooting far better than he ever has before from 3-10 feet and 10-16 feet. Do you really think it would last for a whole season? The Lakers added DLo and scrubs, if that’s massively better than Westbrook not a good look for him.


DLo is having a career season from 3. The Lakers desperately needed shooting. Not hard to see the fit there.

For a guard I would say Russ has been pretty average in efficiency. But I don't think they got him for scoring efficiency. They got him to push the pace and break down the defense off the dribble.

PG13 had his career season playing with Russ. So did Beal. Russ can create easy baskets for other guys. He got our center gafford a contract he never would have gotten without Russ feeding him

[RRR3]

DLo is having a career season from 3. The Lakers desperately needed shooting. Not hard to see the fit there.

For a guard I would say Russ has been pretty average in efficiency. But I don't think they got him for scoring efficiency. They got him to push the pace and break down the defense off the dribble.

PG13 had his career season playing with Russ. So did Beal. Russ can create easy baskets for other guys. He got our center gafford a contract he never would have gotten without Russ feeding him
Yes he’s a good passer. So is Ben Simmons. Both kill spacing and are thus negatives on offense in any serious game.

[tontoz]

Yes he’s a good passer. So is Ben Simmons. Both kill spacing and are thus negatives on offense in any serious game.


Simmons is a bad comparison. He is scared to shoot, scared to drive, scared to even play. That ain't Russ.

PG 13 played with Russ for 2 years. The clippers knew what they were getting. Russ takes bad shots that he can't make and turns it over too much. It is easy to focus too much on that and miss what he does well.

It helps that the clippers aren't paying $40 million for his services :oldlol:

[kawhileonard2]

That's more on Lebron for only winning 33 games despite being 2nd to win it all that year.

[Charlie Sheen]

Yes heÂ’s a good passer. So is Ben Simmons. Both kill spacing and are thus negatives on offense in any serious game.

You are way off the mark here. The number one rule of defense is still stop the ball. Since joining the Clippers Westbrook aggressive style is creating space for Gordon, Morris and PG before he got hurt. Defense still have to respect Westbrook when he gets in the paint... not the story with Ben.

[ImKobe]

Yes he’s a good passer. So is Ben Simmons. Both kill spacing and are thus negatives on offense in any serious game.


Ben Simmons is scared to shoot. Russ at least is aggressive and will make defenses pay if he's left completely open. Clippers have been better on offense with him despite losing PG to injury. Draymond kills spacing in GS because defenses play off him, but guess what, he's still a net-positive offensively because of the shots he creates for others. WB's defense isn't as bad as people make it out to be either, it's not great but it's not Jordan Clarkson-level bad either. EPM almost has him as an elite defender though I'd say that's more on the cast that he's played with.

I'm sure anything short of the Clippers winning a chip will be put on Westbrook as his 1 bad play gets more coverage than anyone else's but he's legitimately been a good signing for the Clippers. Look at how much better he fits with them compared to John Wall or Reggie Jackson this season, those guys tanked their ORTG numbers when on the court.

[kawhileonard2]

Lebron couldn't make play in with Westbrook. Every other star did.

[Manny98]

https://i.postimg.cc/gkfYnLR6/Screenshot-2023-04-09-01-47-27-60-40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12.jpg