NBA | LAKERS
Westbrook: Lakers veterans ready to kick "young mother-fucking asses"
Russell Westbrook believes the Lakers' experience will help them to defeat younger opponents this season. He forms part of LA's new 'Big Three' with Davis and LeBron.
LA Lakers new signing Russell Westbook has sent a stark warning to the rest of the NBA ahead of the 2021 season, where he is confident that he and fellow senior teammates can outdo the Championship’s younger guns.
The Lakers added eight new players to its roster, six of whom, including Westbrook, are NBA veterans of 32 years of age or more.
Westbrook will now form part of LA’s answer to the Brooklyn Nets’ ‘Big Three’, alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James, another veteran approaching his 37th birthday.
Having won the 2020 Championship, the Lakers crashed out of the 2021 playoff at the first round stage after suffering a 4-2 defeat to the Phoenix Suns. Now they will look to reclaim the NBA title in 2021 from the Milwaukee Bucks and their 26-year-old Greek star, Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, the Lakers have been criticized for depending too heavily on veterans for their title hopes.
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Westbrook: Lakers full of experienced vets
Speaking on Hollywood actor and comedian Kevin Hart’s podcast, Straight From the Hart, Westbook was asked about the topic, and believes LA’s experience will help them to defeat younger opponents.
“We got a team full of nice experienced vets that’s going to kick these young mother-fucking asses,” said LA native Westbrook, a nine-time NBA All-Star who joins his hometown team after a short spell at the Washington Wizards.
While the Lakers have a host of veterans on their team, including Westbook, Lebron, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, and Trevor Ariza, they also have several young players like Malik Monk, Kendrick Nunn and Talen Horton-Tucker who could also play important roles in the franchise’s title challenge alongside their senior teammates this season.
Lakers big day fixtures announced
This week the NBA has leaked some of the big fixtures for the regular season’s two biggest dates: the opening day of the championship and Christmas day.
Westbrook and the Lakers’ first test will come against fellow veteran Stephen Curry and Golden State Warriors on the opening day of the regular season on 19 October. Then on Christmas Day, Westbrook, Lebron and Davis will test their mettle against Brooklyn’s ‘Big Three’ of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden at the Staples Center.