Clippers Player Gets Honest About Russell Westbrook's Move to Bench

LA Clippers guard Russell Westbrook accepted a new role off the bench

Jan 21, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) and guard Terance Mann (14) react after forward Kawhi Leonard (2) scores three point basket against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports | Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

After the Clippers acquired James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers, the team immediately went on a six-game losing streak. Five of these games came with Harden in the lineup, and it was after that fifth game when the Clippers made a starting lineup change, swapping Russell Westbrook for Terance Mann.

It was first reported by Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report that Westbrook volunteered to come off the bench, a report Ty Lue and Clippers players corroborated. In a recent appearance on FanDuel’s Run it Back show, Mann was asked about this situation and how it impacted the team.

"Yeah... from what I heard, he went in - because I think we went on a six-game losing streak," Mann said. "And he went in and was like, 'If it benefits the team, I'll come off the bench.'"

While the Clippers did go on a great run following that starting lineup change, their success was not entirely tied to the separation of Westbrook and Harden. It took some time for those two find their footing on the court together, but the duo eventually reached a point where they were consistently good together, which was a big part of LA’s success during that stretch.

Unfortunately, for the Clippers, their dominant regular season stretch did not produce any playoff success, as Kawhi Leonard was once again injured for the fourth-straight postseason. The Clippers were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in six games, just two of which Leonard was able to play in.

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