Even though the Los Angeles Lakers went 0-6 in the preseason, there is no need to panic as it is normal for a team with so many new pieces to struggle as they figure things out.
One player who is not concerned about their winless preseason slate is Russell Westbrook, who understands that it will take time for things to come together. Instead, Westbrook is encouraged with how the Lakers managed to get a little better each time out and that should breathe some optimism that the roster is on its way to becoming the team most people peg them to be.
Westbrook admittedly struggled with his shooting and turnovers, but his energy and effort on a possession basis was second-to-none, something that Kent Bazemore was quick to point out. “Russ is an animal,” Bazemore said. “An animal in every sense of the word, an absolute beast. The force he plays with, the swagger he brings to the team when he’s on the floor. His energy is infectious and feeding off of it is amazing.
“I think he’s gonna be an absolute force for us all season. The energy he’ll bring every night is gonna be big for us with the long season, maybe some nights we may be in a city with low energy, and here comes Russ storming down the middle with a dunk to get us going. That’s kind of the intangibles that he has as a player, as a person that is gonna help us a lot this year.”
Westbrook is well-regarded around the league for how passionate of a player he is, and that kind of spark should not go under the radar when considering how often it looked like the Lakers were going through the motion last season. The point guard is going to hold teammates accountable and his competitive spirit might very well carry them through the regular season into the playoffs.
Although things might not always look pretty in the early going, the Purple and Gold should look more engaged on a nightly basis and Westbrook will be the driving force behind that.
Frank Vogel expects adjustment period for Russell Westbrook
Out of the Big 3, Westbrook looks like he will be the one to have to sacrifice the most given he is used to having the ball in his hands nearly every possession. As such, head coach Frank Vogel expects there to be an adjustment period for the star but was encouraged with his start.
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