Predicting the 2021-22 #NBA season for Los Angeles #Lakers star Russell Westbrook, via @HoopAnalysisNet.https://t.co/wy7tX2n0mI
— Evan Massey (@massey_evan) September 7, 2021
Westbrook is going to still have a strong year as part of a Big 3 in Los Angeles. He has played with high-profile teammates in the past, and it has never deterred him from producing some gaudy numbers. He will look to do the same with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Russell Westbrook will fall short of averaging a triple-double again but will still provide Los Angeles with numbers to help make them among the best teams in the NBA. He will play 74 games, averaging 32.5 minutes per game. The former UCLA Bruin will score 20.4 points per game with 9.8 rebounds and 8.4 assists, chipping in 1.5 steals per game.
The most interesting thing for me is how both LeBron and Russ adjust to playing off the ball. both will be asked to play off the ball more then either have been asked to before. DWade and Kyrie both had to adjust their games but of the 3 Russ is the truest PG. He’s a playmaker first while the other 2 were score first players. It’s going to be interesting but I feel it’s going to work.
It will be an adjustment more for LeBron because with Russ and Rondo, I think LeBron is going to be playing off the ball most of the time. He’ll still get assists because he is such a great passer but I think we will see LeBron be more of a scorer off the ball, with a lot of post ups in the paint as we saw previews of last season. It’s a big reason why the Lakers want him at the 4 instead of the 3 or 1. They need the 2 and 3 for shooters.
The adjustment for Russ is not really playing off the ball than it is limiting the pull up jumpers when he is not red hot. Those are the shots that kill his efficiency and need to be removed from his repertoire for more layups and dunks and assists.
I also expect LeBron, AD, and Russ to all shoot fewer threes than last season when James took 6.3 threes per game, Davis took 2.8 threes per game, and Russ took 4.2 threes per game. Like to see all three shoot more shots in the paint and at the rim and fewer from beyond the arc. LeBron, by the way, took the most threes on the Lakers.
One thing that Russ will probably help eliminate is my frustration with LeBron holding onto the ball, runs out the shot clock before making a play in the last seconds that ends up in a turnover.
When nobody else in the lineup can create his own shot, LeBron has to wait for an open cutter coming off a screen or a role player who has gotten free. He can’t give them the ball where they can’t score because they don’t have the handle or moves to create their own shot.
Now, however, he can give the ball to Russ or Rondo to playmake or to Monk or Nunn or Melo to get a shot. Ball should not stop.
Great point, Tom. Thanks for responding.