Lakers: Russell Westbrook Has Heated Exchange with LA Reporter After Dallas Loss
Perhaps it was Russell Westbrook continuing his unfriendly relations with the media, or maybe, it just a simple misunderstanding of a reporter's question. Either way, it was a sight all too common this year - a Lakers loss followed by a newsworthy Westbrook press conference.
Russ and the Lakers faced the Mavericks on Tuesday in Dallas with LeBron James sidelined with the ankle injury he suffered in the Pelicans game on Sunday. LA got absolutely drubbed. They gave up 82 first half points en route to a 128-110 blowout loss. More importantly, the loss pushed them out of the play-in tournament,
After the game, Russ got into it with a reporter and of course, the Rob Perez Twitter account was all over it. Broderick Turner of The LA Times asked Westbrook what needs to change for the Lakers to start winning basketball games.
Russ initially gave a short response, and then turned the question back to the reporter.
Westbrook: "What do you think should change?"
Turner: "Winning..."
Westbrook: "Okay, that's obvious. What do you think should change?"
Turner: "Winning. Winning games, playing hard. You asked the question, I gave you an answer."
Westbrook response to the reporters answer was to dismiss himself from the press table in disgust as he uttered:
Westbrook: "That's fine. You got an answer to winning?"
The camera panned over to the Lakers guard as he approached the door. The exchange continued.
Westbrook: "You got the answer for me?"
Turner: "I'm not out there playing. You give me the answer of what you think change."
Westbrook: [chuckles] "Exactly, I don't have the answer. So why you ask me?"
Turner: "If you don't have it and you're out there, then I can't have it either."
The two continued their dialogue and it did look like, as The Athletic's Bill Oram theorized, that Westbrook might have not fully understood Turner's question. Russ and Turner made amends before the guard exited the media room with a smile and asked, "You got that?" to the media and clapping Turner on the back.
The one thing that is clear is that Westbrook and the Lakers are currently out of the playoffs.
