Clippers' Russell Westbrook: Rough shooting night in loss

Westbrook posted eight points (3-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three assists, three steals and two rebounds in the Clippers' 116-112 loss to the Lakers on Wednesday.

Despite a poor night shooting, the 2016-17 MVP chipped in three steals to the defensive effort, a significant contribution compared to the 1.0 steals he has averaged coming off the bench. Westbrook played 17 minutes Wednesday, a decline from the 22.3 minutes he has been averaging in February. In Paul George's brief absence (knee), Terance Mann has averaged 26.8 minutes, with sixth-man Norman Powell averaging 26.6 minutes as well. With George expected to return to the lineup soon, expect Westbrook's playing time to decline as Mann and Powell continue to receive significant opportunities.