Russell Westbrook contributed a double-double of 18 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 116-105 win over the Orlando Magic on Friday. This performance by Russell comes after coach Frank Vogel decided to leave him on the bench for the final four minutes of the game in which they were fighting for the win in the Angelenos’ previous game against the Indiana Pacers.
The Lakers ended up losing that match, but Vogel preferred to seat Russell because he felt he was not providing what they needed to win.
“He put the last game behind him and focused on his performance today, a new game, a new journey,” LeBron shared of Russell’s performance after the win.
“I’ve said it, (Russell) is a snakehead as a point guard, he puts us in positions to win, his attacks are very good. He did a great job getting into the paint, whether it was for his shots or assisting others, the group just rubbed off on his energy and effort on both sides of the ball. It was a great team effort,” he added.
Lebron James He was the top scorer for the Lakers in the victory, continuing the great individual level he has shown so far this season, his 19th NBA campaign. He finished with 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Los Angeles victory.
The purple and gold kicked off the first of six games on the road to the East Coast of the United States on the right foot, beating the Orlando Magic. It is a reality that Orlando is not one of the elite teams currently in the NBA, but neither are the Lakers. The triumph helps the Los Angeles team to continue building the habits they want.
“The first game on the roadtrip is always the most difficult, especially after the long trip from Los Angeles yesterday. It wasn’t perfect, we had mistakes, a lot of fouls, but we were able to figure it out and adjust in the second half,” LeBron said.
Anthony Davis, who has missed the last 16 Lakers games with a knee injury, traveled with the team on their East Coast tour and supported from the bench. Davis has received a medical discharge to resume some training, but he still has more time to be back.
The next game for the Lakers will be on Sunday visiting the Miami Heat.
We would love to say thanks to the author of this short article for this incredible material
Westbrook resurfaces with Lakers, after going to the bench