NBA
Westbrook hits Davis in the face in sloppy pass
Russel Westbrook’s decision-making and passes have been under fire all season, and here we can see why, as this careless throw ended up in a turnover.
The Lakers beat the Heat (literally) in an exciting overtime rollercoaster of a game on Wednesday. Russel Westbrook finished with 25 points from 10-22 shooting, 14 assists, and 12 rebounds, and his third triple-double of the season in the Lakers 120-117 win.
Westbrook needs to clean up his passing despite the win
Lebron James is still out so it was up to Westbrook to take control and he did, making some big plays to tie up the game in the fourth quarter. However, Westbrook still made some sloppy mistakes. In the third quarter, he attempted to pass the ball but accidentally hit teammate Anthony Davis in the face, resulting in Miami getting the ball back. Then, in the fourth quarter, Westbrook made another big mistake. With 20 seconds left on the clock, he got the ball about midway down the court, and the Heat switched opponents to leave PJ Tucker guarding Westbrook, who attempted a three-pointer instead of driving towards the basket. He missed (by a long shot) and the game went into overtime.
In the end, the Heat missed some free throws and Malik Monk made some crucial shots to seal the victory for the Lakers.
NBA veteran Richard Jefferson defends Westbrook, despite the criticism he’s receiving. “I know a lot of Laker fans have been questioning him and especially his start – and rightfully so. But ultimately, when he gets going, when he plays at this level – and it wasn’t great, I’m going to sit here and hold him to a championship standard – but it was closer to the Russell Westbrook that he needs to be and that the team expects from him,” Jefferson said.