There are no shortage of nominees for the lowest point of the Russell Westbrook-Los Angeles Lakers partnership. His bizarre end-of-season press conference last April stands out among off-court moments. The unnecessary two-for-one that may have cost the Lakers an early season game against Portland, his disastrous game-ending possession against the Philadelphia 76ers in January and his bizarre refusal to leave the court in his final game as a Laker all have strong cases as well. But the moment that best encapsulates what went wrong on Westbrook's side of the equation came in February, 2022.
The Lakers, who had trailed by as many as 21 points against the New York Knicks, had managed to build a six-point fourth-quarter and needed another few points to put the game away. Malik Monk passed the ball to Westbrook in the corner, and he loaded up to shoot. The crowd wouldn't let him. His hometown fans pleaded with him not to shoot. So he held the ball for a moment, allowed Mitchell Robinson to get set defensively... and then shot anyway.
Just one of the most surreal moments of my time covering the Lakers. I can’t ever remember the fans begging a player not to shoot like this pic.twitter.com/68NwIkDVMm
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) February 6, 2022
The shot itself was a bad decision, but it was compounded by that moment of doubt. Westbrook's super power is his supreme confidence. That's how a three-star recruit becomes an MVP. For better and often for worse, Westbrook's game relied on his belief that he could do whatever he wanted on the court. That confidence disappeared with the Lakers. A healthy amount of confidence is a necessity for any NBA player, but self-awareness is just as important on a LeBron James team. Everyone else's job is to know what they can and can't do and support him as a shooter, defender and cutter. Those have never been Westbrook's strengths. For the first time in his career, he couldn't play like the best player on his team.
The Clippers offered something of a realistic middle ground for him. Westbrook would sit firmly behind Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the pecking order, but as the definitive starting point guard on a team with championship aspirations. The Clippers signed Westbrook to do things that the rest of their team couldn't: get to the rim and set up easy shots for teammates.
The results with the two of them present were mixed. The Clippers went 5-6 in the 11 games they played between Westbrook's addition and George's injury, but won five of their last six. They outscored opponents by 2.7 points per 100 possessions with Westbrook on the floor before that George injury. Even after George's injury, Westbrook's remain unchanged. With the Clippers fighting for playoff position in the last 10 games of the season, he still took only 13.5 shots per game, less than the 14 he attempted as a reserve for the Lakers this season.
But with Kawhi Leonard out the past two games and the Clippers' season on life support, Westbrook became Westbrook again. Sunday was perhaps the best game Westbrook played for either Los Angeles team: 37 points in 40 minutes for a Clippers team that surprisingly played the Western Conference favorites, the Phoenix Suns, competitively twice in a row. They may have lost both games, but neither defeat is on Westbrook's head. His legendary explosiveness and more recent on-ball defensive intensity were both on display, but so was the confidence that was once lacking. He made three 3-pointers on Sunday, and showed no hesitation in launching.
Westbook himself has spoken about how nice it is to be somewhere that he's wanted. It's a stark contrast from last season, when he openly denied that his teammates let him be himself on the court. Circumstances may have allowed Westbrook to play like his old self on Sunday, but the Clippers laid the groundwork for it from the moment they acquired him.
It may not last forever. Whether they return this postseason or not, George and Leonard remain the centerpieces of the Clippers. Westbrook will turn 35 roughly one month into next season, and his nuclear athleticism isn't going to last forever. Confident or not, he's never turned his jumper into a consistent weapon. He is set for free agency this offseason, and the Clippers won't be able to offer him more than 120% of his minimum salary if the new CBA's second apron kicks in before next season. The future is uncertain for both sides.
But the version of Westbrook that could get goaded out of shooting by his own fans had no future in the NBA. After a nightmarish stint with the Lakers, this version of Westbrook had seemingly disappeared forever. He may not ever be this player on a night-to-night basis ever again. A mid-30's Westbrook will never carry a franchise as his peak self did the Thunder. But something resembling his time with the Wizards is still possible. Put him on a roster that can support him with shooting and defense and he can still keep a team afloat for short stretches.
That is probably the best-case scenario for late-stage Westbrook. Not all veterans are meant to age gracefully into role players. Westbrook had a chance to be Westbrook again on Sunday. Not the muted, uncertain version of him we saw with the Lakers, but the player whose energy and confidence could swing games against even the mightiest of opponents. That player still exists, and even if he isn't meant for championship contention, he has at least proven that he still has a bit of gas left in the tank for a team that's prepared to let him drive the car.
