Russell Westbrook told NBA reporters that the Los Angeles Clippers can’t “point fingers” during their current struggles.
The Clippers are only 3-6 in their last nine games.
“You don’t point fingers, you don’t point blame,” Westbrook said, via The Athletic. “Each individual, I think we got to look within, look within ourselves, and figure out how we can better help our team. I think that’s where we start, we start with ourselves. I start with myself. And then come together collectively and figure out how we now bring what we all have and bring to the table.”
Westbrook returned to the lineup last night (3/25) against the Indiana Pacers after missing 12 games due to left hand surgery. The NBA legend finished with 14 points, four rebounds and seven assists versus the Pacers while shooting 5-of-10 from the field and 4-of-6 from the foul line.
“As we’ve seen when we’ve done it the right way, it shows that we’re a hard team to stop,” Westbrook said. “And we know where our ceiling is, we know how we need to get there. And I think ultimately, as a leader, it’s my job just to hold guys accountable, hold myself accountable, and make sure that we stay together through this tough little patch that we’re having. And to me, it’s as simple as that.”
The Clippers are 44-27 on the season. They are in fifth place in the Western Conference standings.
If the regular season ended today, LAC would face the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.
Westbrook is averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists this season while shooting 45.3% from the field, 26.4% from 3 and 67.6% from the free-throw line.
The Clippers are 38-21 when Westbrook plays.
“Right now, do we have an identity? I think, yeah. We’re soft,” Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said. “That could be an identity, if you want to call (it) that. Like, we got to be tougher, mentally and physically.”
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