BREAKING: Russell Westbrook Has Officially Been Moved To The Bench In Los Angeles
There is no denying that the Los Angeles Lakers have talent on their roster. However, they have had a hard time utilizing their talent over the years and now after an 0-4 start to the 2022-23 season, the Lakers are now switching up their starting unit.
Nine-time All-Star guard and the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles in Russell Westbrook is prepared to come off-the-bench for the first time in a Lakers’ uniform on Friday night when Los Angeles takes on the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Westbrook ended up missing his first game of the season in the Lakers’ previous game against the Denver Nuggets due to a hamstring injury. The Lakers went on to lose this game in Denver by 11 points, their second double-digit loss of the new season.
The idea of having Russell Westbrook come off-the-bench has floated around this franchise for quite some time throughout the offseason and now, given the team’s struggles and immediate urge to succeed, the Lakers have decided to switch things up.
New Lakers head coach Davin Ham did bring Westbrook off-the-bench in the team’s preseason finale and he claimed that this role allows the All-Star guard to have the ball in his hands more often than when he is on the floor with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
According to ESPN, coming off the bench on Friday against the Timberwolves will break Westbrook's streak of 1,007 straight starting appearances, the third-longest active stretch in the league behind Chris Paul and LeBron James.
As for what Los Angeles’ starting rotation will look like, LeBron James and Anthony Davis will both be on the floor to begin the game if they are healthy and active and it is quite possible that Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV and Damian Jones will be the other three in the starting lineup.
Should Anthony Davis be unable to play against Minnesota though due to a back injury that has his game status as “questionable” entering Friday afternoon, Russell Westbrook may very well return to the starting lineup.
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