WATCH: Russell Westbrook flaunts his ‘exuberant’ skills and scores his first basket for the Clippers
"Westbrook's debut overshadowed by historic high-scoring game and defensive lapses"
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Russell Westbrook made his debut for the Los Angeles Clippers in a high-scoring game against the Sacramento Kings. The game turned out to be the second-highest-scoring game in NBA history, with a final score of 176-175 in favor of the Kings after double-overtime. The Clippers were hoping Westbrook would provide them with a distributor and paint-attacking presence, and he did just that with 14 assists and 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting. However, the game also highlighted some of Westbrook’s negative aspects, including seven turnovers, six personal fouls, and defensive lapses.
Westbrook’s 14 assists in the game showed potential for a better fit with the Clippers than he had with the Lakers. He had eight assists on 3-pointers made, which was his highest total in the last two seasons. The Clippers got a taste of the full Westbrook experience when he delivered a clutch basket with 15 seconds left in regulation, putting the team up three points. However, he also appeared to lose Malik Monk on defence, leading to a game-tying 3-pointer and ultimately leading to overtime.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue admitted after the game that he should have played Terance Mann more, who had only 18 minutes on the court compared to Westbrook’s 39 minutes. The team’s experiment with lineups featuring their recently acquired players may have come at the expense of Mann’s playing time, who had previously been the team’s starting point guard. Despite Westbrook’s negatives, the Clippers may find it easier to move on from him if he doesn’t work out, unlike the situation with the LA Lakers.
De’Aaron Fox shines in Kings’ double-overtime win
While Westbrook’s debut was highly anticipated, it was De’Aaron Fox who stole the show with a 42-point, 12-assist performance that included the game-winning basket in double-overtime. Malik Monk also had a career-high 45 points and hit a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation. The Kings and Clippers combined for a record-breaking 44 3-pointers in the game, the most in NBA history.
Despite the individual performances, the Kings nearly blew a 147-136 lead with less than three minutes left in regulation. The Clippers were able to force overtime thanks to Westbrook’s clutch basket but ultimately couldn’t secure the win in double-overtime. Kawhi Leonard finished with 44 points on 16-of-22 shooting, while Paul George had 34 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.
The game was a reminder of Fox’s talent and potential, as well as the offensive firepower of both teams. The Kings and Clippers will both look to build on their performances and continue to compete in the tough Western Conference.
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Arpan Ghosh
(1403 Articles Published)