Russell Westbrook responds to Magic Johnson's criticism of Lakers

After the game, Lakers guard Russell Westbrook, who has faced much of the criticism for the team’s struggles, was asked about Johnson’s comments.

“I do not have a reaction,” replied Westbrook, per Ethan Sears of the New York Post. “Everybody is entitled, in this world, to their opinion. Regardless of what that it is. You can either take it and run with it or you can take it and put it in one ear and out the other or you cannot respond to it.

“Magic’s entitled to his opinion,” he added. “He’s not here every day. He’s not around us every day. He’s not aware of what’s going on internally with us and trying to figure things out. But I have no response to that … Like I said, everyone in this world is entitled to their opinion and that’s that.”

The Lakers are currently seventh in the West and would be in the play-in tournament if the season ended today. While Anthony Davis is still out with a knee injury, it has been a massive underperformance for a Lakers team that had championship aspirations heading into the year.

Johnson, a Lakers franchise icon and their former president of basketball operations, has been openly critical of the team throughout the season. But Westbrook essentially seems to be saying that Johnson does not know what he is talking about here.