Russell Westbrook: The plan is to run it back
Westbrook wants to run it back and see what the Lakers could do with improved health. “That’s the plan, but nothing is promised,” Russ said. “Like I said all season long: you gotta play the cards you’re dealt. Yes — we want to be able to see what that looks like, what that entails over the course of an 82-game season. But we’re not sure if that’s guaranteed neither. So, I just hope that we have a chance to be able to do something in the future.”
Source: Michael Corvo @ Clutch Points
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA
Russell Westbrook has 194 more triple doubles than you do. – 2:04 AM
Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Russell Westbrook on playing with LeBron and Anthony Davis next season: “That’s the plan, but nothing is promised. You’ve got to take one day at a time each day… Yes, we want to be able to see what that looks like over an 82-game season, but we’re not sure if that’s guaranteed” pic.twitter.com/mTRjaeSSTz – 1:24 AM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
I know everyone wants to rush to judgment, but I don’t think you can fully evaluate the Westbrook deal until the season is completely over. BK – 1:22 AM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Russell Westbrook on if he’d like to be able to have more chances to play with LeBron James and Anthony Davis next season: “That’s the plan. But nothing is promised. You have to take one day at a time each day.” – 1:16 AM
Bill Oram @billoram
Asked by @Dave McMenamin if he wants an opportunity to come back next season and compete with LeBron and AD, Russell Westbrook says, “That’s the plan.” – 1:14 AM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Russell Westbrook on the Lakers’ tough season: “I was able to just stay real faithful and true to what I believe in, regardless of what was ever thrown my way or our way and continue to fight, regardless of the results.” – 1:13 AM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Russell Westbrook on the Lakers being eliminated: “It’s obviously disappointing on many levels. Not much you can do about it at this point.” – 1:11 AM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Russell Westbrook on Lakers getting eliminated: “It’s obviously disappointing on many levels.” – 1:11 AM
Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
The Los Angeles Lakers missing the playoffs is not on Russell Westbrook. – 1:02 AM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Final: Suns 121, Lakers 110
The Lakers drop to 31-48 and are eliminated from the Play-In tournament. Russell Westbrook had 28 points. Anthony Davis had 21 points and 13 rebounds. What an incredibly disappointing end to a disastrous season.
Up next: at Golden State on Thursday. – 12:49 AM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Final: PHX 121, LAL 110
Booker: 32 Pts, 7 Reb, 6-9 3P
Ayton: 22 Pts, 13 Reb, 10-14 FG
Paul: 6 Pts, 12 Ast
Westbrook: 28 Pts, 10-20 FG
Suns win a franchise-record 63 games and officially eliminate the Lakers from playoff/play-in contention – 12:48 AM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Third quarter: Suns 98, Lakers 80
Phoenix blew this game open in the third, continuing the momentum that they closed the first half with. Russell Westbrook has 23 points. Anthony Davis has 17 points and 8 rebounds. The Lakers have 12 minutes to improbably save their season. – 12:22 AM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
End of 3Q: PHX 98, LAL 80
Booker: 32 Pts, 6 Reb, 6-9 3P
Ayton: 22 Pts, 13 Reb, 10-14 FG
Paul: 6 Pts, 12 Ast
Westbrook: 23 Pts, 8-18 FG
Suns outscore Lakers 35-22 in 3Q – 12:20 AM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns 63 #Lakers 58 Half.
PHX: Booker 16.
Ayton 14 and 7.
LAL: Westbrook 18.
Davis 12 and 5.
#Suns win eliminates #Lakers from play-in/playoffs. pic.twitter.com/DydS8OoyUG – 11:45 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Halftime: Suns 63, Lakers 58
The Suns closed the first half on a 15-8 run. Russell Westbrook has 18 points but 0 assists and 5 turnovers. Anthony Davis has 12 points and 5 rebounds. The Lakers are 18-19 at the FT line, which has kept them in this game. – 11:43 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LAL head into the half trailing 63-58, having led for much of the game prior to a late 2nd Q 11-0 run from the home team.
Davis had 12 points and 5 boards, and Westbrook 18 points on 6 of 11 FG’s. – 11:42 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Halftime: PHX 63, LAL 58
Booker: 16 Pts, 5 Reb, 6-13 FG
Ayton: 14 Pts, 7 Reb, 6-8 FG
Cam Johnson: 7 Pts, 2-2 3P
Westbrook: 18 Pts, 6-11 FG – 11:41 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Bridges around Davis.’
Westbrook answer.
#Suns up 61-56. – 11:40 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
The previous three possessions before getting to the line will not end up taped to Westbrook’s metaphorical fridge. AK – 11:39 PM
Brad Botkin @bradbotkincbs
Imagine the Live odds you could get if you could freeze time the moment the ball leaves Westbrook’s hands from 3 and place a make-or-miss bet – 11:38 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Westbrook turnover trying to find Davis for a lob with bodies around Davis.
Goes the other way and Ayton scores on a knuckleball jump hook.
#Suns up two with 3:27 left in half. – 11:32 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Westbrook back-to-back buckets. Has 14.
Tie game. #Suns #LakeShow – 11:30 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Booker 3 over Westbrook.
#Suns up two. – 11:28 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Payne high off glass over Davis.
Westbrook called for offensive foul on other end.
#Suns down three with 8:41 left in 1st half. – 11:18 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
First quarter: Lakers 31, Suns 28
A respectable first quarter from LA. Dwight Howard leads them w/ 8 pts and 6 rebs. Russell Westbrook has 6 pts. Anthony Davis has 4 pts and 4 rebs. The Lakers are winning the 3PT and FT battles early. Austin Reaves is back in the rotation. – 11:12 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Former teammates Payne and Westbrook tangled up.
Westbrook hearing the boos.
Misses first FT.
Hits 2nd FT.
#Suns down four late in 1st – 11:07 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Paul pull up.
Westbrook 3 answer.
#Suns down 15-8. – 10:48 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Lakers’ starters in Phoenix:
Dwight Howard
Anthony Davis
Malik Monk
Avery Bradley
Russell Westbrook – 10:05 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Westbrook, Bradley, Monk, Davis and Howard will start tonight at Phoenix. – 10:01 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
40/10 games in a season since merger:
12 — Moses Malone (1982)
12 — Russell Westbrook (2017)
12 — Joel Embiid (this season)
The first two names won MVP that season. pic.twitter.com/QkrV9kXuBN – 9:23 PM
Mark Haynes @markhaynesnba
Damion Lee talked about what the team worked on in practice.
“Did you see that interview like nine years ago when all Westbrook said was good execution? Yeah, that’s what we’re trying to get, just good execution.” – 4:14 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Players in the last 5 years with over 2,700 points + assists in a season:
Trae Young (2022)
James Harden (3x)
LeBron James (2018)
Russell Westbrook (2018)
Trae is 1st in total assists (692) and 2nd in total points (2,036) this season. pic.twitter.com/RtkQddAsr5 – 3:35 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Magic Johnson says he wanted DeRozan on Lakers, LeBron pushed for Westbrook nba.nbcsports.com/2022/04/05/mag… – 9:01 AM
More on this storyline
The other option is sending Westbrook into Oklahoma City’s cap space. The Thunder still have $31.65 million in space remaining through June 30 and can acquire Westbrook by just sending back Derrick Favors and an additional salary filler back to the Lakers. Such a deal could generate atrade exception north of $30 million, but would likely require at least one of the Lakers’ two first-round picks they’re allowed totrade this offseason. -via HoopsHype / April 6, 2022
If the Lakers were to package one or both of their 2027 or 2029 first-round picks with Westbrook, they’d ideally want to acquire good role players in return. For example, perhaps there is a deal with the Indiana Pacers where they can get two of Myles Turner, Malcolm Brogdon, and Buddy Hield for that package. Or if the Utah Jazz were to blow things up, Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic could make some sense. -via HoopsHype / April 6, 2022
A new report indicates that the New York Knicks are not interested in the idea of adding Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report spoke with Marc Stein and indicated that the Knicks’ lack of interest has been evident for a while. ”I pitched the idea to Knicks people time and again going back to the deadline, and they have no interest,” Fischer said. “… Everything I’ve heard is that New York is trying to grow this group as it is and mix and match a few parts and move forward.” -via Lakers Daily / March 26, 2022
