Lakers: Snoop Dogg Defends the Play of Russell Westbrook
The 2021-22 Lakers season did not go how anyone expected. At the beginning of the season, experts were labeling the Lakers as a championship-level team. Fans were excited and things were looking great. Then the Lakers lost every single preseason game and before fans began to panic, they still had their big 3, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.
However, once the regular season began, things were not going in the Laker's favor. Players kept getting injured and the starting lineup had to change almost every game. Although, the one constant was Russell Westbrook, who only missed four games out of the regular season.
Given that Westbrook played the majority of the regular season, he was the one player always on display for criticism. If the Lakers lost a game, it was on Westbrook. Fans, experts, and anyone watching the Lakers play would immediately blame Westbrook. Well, now Snoop Dogg has decided to set the record straight on the Full Send Podcast and says the blame should not be put on Westbrook.
"Coach used to sit him on the bench, take him out of the game. That [expletive] with your mentality too. When you're this great and you got this coach telling yo, 'Sit down. Hold On.' Then, when you get in the game you're definitely reckless because you're not in the groove and basketball is definitely a groove thing."
Snoop Dogg continued and talked about how the coach and the players need to be able to have a mutual understanding.
"The coach and the players got to be on the same page where you understand my minutes affect the way I play. When you're sitting me down you affect the way I play because now I can't do the things I normally do. Now I'm out here rushing, trying to get people involved instead of just running the game."
The Lakers were not able to build the connections they may have hoped and it truly affected them in more ways than one. As Westbrook would go through shooting woes, he would get benched and that can affect him mentally.
Now that Frank Vogel is no longer with the Lakers, a new head coach could be exactly what they need.
