When Russell Westbrook came off the bench in the Lakers' last preseason game, he tweaked his hamstring and exited after five minutes. Against the Clippers on Thursday night, Westbrook resumed his usual starting role, but this time his jumper was broken. He missed all 11 of his field goal attempts, including 0-6 from three-point range, and finished with two points, both on free throws.
For the fourth time in his career, Russell Westbrook did not make a single field goal.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 21, 2022
◽️ 2 PTS
◽️ 0/11 FG
◽️ 0/6 3-PT FG
◽️ 2/2 FT
He's also the first player in NBA history to shoot 0/11 FG in two games.
H/T @ESPNStatsInfo pic.twitter.com/xOvAZjhuS5
This Lakers team is making history! Just not the kind of history they want.
LeBron James is the only player since the NBA-ABA merger to have 20+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ assists in back-to-back games to start a season but lose both.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 21, 2022
James finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. The assist number is especially impressive considering the way the Lakers' guards shot. Besides Westbrook's 0-11, Kendrick Nunn went 0-7 off the bench, and Patrick Beverley was 1-7. That's a combined 1-25, or 4% shooting from the floor, and seven total points in 71 minutes combined.
Despite the ice-cold backcourt, the Lakers actually took a lead in the 4th quarter when Lonnie Walker IV dunked in two of his game-high 26 points with eight minutes left. But the Lakers would score only eight points the rest of the way - six by Walker - and fell 103-97.
To his credit, Westbrook did rack up five steals, and the Lakers forced 21 turnovers. That's the only way a team stays in an NBA game where they shoot 35% from the field and 20% from distance. For the season, the Lakers are 19-85 from three-point range, a shocking number of attempts for a team that's making 22% of them, but so far teams are packing the paint and daring the Lakers to shoot from deep.
Overall it was a forgettable night for Westbrook, who couldn't even make undefended shots during warmups.
Russell westbrook building a house in the back. pic.twitter.com/wlFdJtBxan
— Jamal Cristopher (@JamCristopher) October 20, 2022
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