Russell Westbrook: “Missing shots, losing the ball, that’s part of the game” | NBA

Arriving at a post-game press conference against Wolves, Russell Westbrook suspected that the subject would come to the table. There is no lack since, from the first question, he is asked about the lost balls of the Lakers and the means they have found to limit them at the end of the game. ” Read the game well, take what the defense offers you “, just answer the Laker, personally concerned by the question: he is responsible for 9 of 15 lost balls of his team.

He was later questioned on the importance of his shot at mid-distance, returned five minutes from the end, to give his team six points. And this, as the journalist points out, while he was having a generally complicated evening (20 points to 7/16 on shots, 5 assists and 3 rebounds).

” I do not agree with this idea that the match was not going in my direction ”, retorts then more vehemently the MVP 2017. “My game is not about shooting or losing the ball. If I miss shots, that’s part of the game. I have the right to miss them. Like any other player, I’m likely to do this. I can also lose the ball, that’s part of the game. ”

For him, the impact of a player on a game is evaluated on other factors, including catching rebounds or making the right choices. As for this famous shot, entered in the fourth quarter, the former leader of the Thunder, the Rockets and the Wizards evokes a shoot on which he works daily and which did not have a particular impact at this stage of the match . A shoot that he had to take at that time.

His way of relativizing his performance contrasts with the impression made on this part. Unable to return a 3-point shot (0/5), the leader mainly fished with his many ball losses. In addition to poorly adjusted passes on placed play, he especially spoiled several good opportunities to finish on the counterattack. To the point of being called back to the bench, 40 seconds before the break, after an ill-fitting pass to Avery Bradley in a three-on-two situation. In the second half, he was even penalized with a resumption of dribbling at the end of a time-out …

“He blames himself anyway”

” He had a complicated evening tonight “, more lucidly displays Frank Vogel. “But he is progressing and we are evolving offensively. Guys move in different spaces and some things change, it’s not just about him. “The Lakers coach here refers to the” small ball “renewed that night during which neither Dwight Howard nor DeAndre Jordan were mobilized. This was not without consequence in terms of points scored inside and offensive rebounds conceded.

For his part, LeBron James prefers to be positive by evoking a second period where his teammate limited his ball losses to two units.

” This is what allowed us to get shots ”, notes the superstar. “And when we get shots, we’re a very good team. What really hurt us this year is the fact that we often lose the ball and not have been able to set up our defense, while we are very good in the half of the field. ”

That night, these lost balloons cost Californians 21 points. “ I don’t think we need to be on his back about what he’s doing on the pitch, the stray balls or whatever, because he blames himself anyway. . We’re just there to support him“, Concludes Carmelo Anthony, as his teammate approaches the title of biggest waster of balls (4.8) in the league behind James Harden (4.9).