In his second game of the season, Russell Westbrook continued his slow start, shooting 0-for-11 from the field and only scoring two points on free throws. It was the continuation of an awkward situation for a player who is publicly frustrated with his role on the team.
After the game, Lakers forward LeBron James explained what his advice is to Westbrook after such a rough night.
“Flush it down the toilet, get ready for Sunday,” he said. “We’ve all had bad shooting nights, I’ve had bad shooting nights, everybody in this league has had bad shooting nights. Who cares?”
In fact, James believes Westbrook had a positive impact on the game despite his shooting woes.
“I thought he played a great game,” he said. “Defensively he was into it, he was locked in and pushing the tempo, he just didn’t make any shots.”
Through two games, Westbrook is averaging 10.5 points per game and is shooting 30% from the field. Last year, in his first season with the Lakers, Westbrook averaged under 20 points per game for the first time since the 2009–10 season.
The point guard is making $47 million this season in the final year of his contract. Los Angeles tried to trade him in the offseason, but couldn’t find a deal that made sense.
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