All signals are green again for Russell Westbrook at the Clippers, where the Los Angeles leader benefits from the trust of his coach and his teammates. Enough to boost his morale and his game at the end of last season, and once again have high expectations for 2023/24.
The training camp was an opportunity for him to assert his leadership side, by being even more talkative and active with his teammates. As his teammates Terance Mann and Paul George pointed out this summer, Russell Westbrook is still giving it his all, and his coach, Tyron Lueobviously sees this aspect favorably.
“He’s like that, he’s got a great personality, and we need that. The younger guys need to see that and the way he approaches every day, every practice, every shooting session, every match, it’s the same intensity.”, declared the technician of the Clippers.
Only master of his own expectations
Russell Westbrook, however, has calmed the heat of journalists on his statistical production this season. From his point of view, he is the only one who can define what he expects of himself.
“This is always an interesting question for me. Because I always tell people that everyone has their own opinion on what will allow me to become myself again”he explained. “For me, I am the only one who can impose that. No one can tell me that but me. Coming back to myself would mean averaging 21 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists, which hasn’t been done in I don’t know how many years. If someone tells me that I’m not myself if I don’t reach these averages, then damn it! There aren’t many people who have done this! And I’m the only one who’s done it four times. So I’m the only one who sets goals. “.
Especially since the bar to which Russell Westbrook refers, “it’s 30-11” he added, bringing them back to his MVP title in 2017 when he compiled 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists with the Thunder. Standards that have become inaccessible in his current role with the Leonard/George duo.
“Honestly, even then, I didn’t even know I could do it. I was just playing and I feel privileged and grateful that it happened. Once that happened, I was like, ‘Okay, well let’s do it again.’ This is what I did the following year. Then I said to myself: ‘Okay, let’s do it again’.”.
The game before the “I”
But its objectives now lie elsewhere, more oriented towards the game and its implementation, but also the pleasure of having an impact. “Simplify the game as much as possible”, he summarized. The collective is privileged for the sake of the mission that this group has given itself: to win the title after years of failure.
“I play and I try to play the right way. Certainly, it didn’t lead to championship rings, it didn’t lead to results that people consider important. But I strive to be the best I can, to give my all. If everything comes together and I have the opportunity to win the title, that’s perfect. If not, that’s cool too. As long as I give my all and exceed my own expectations, everything is fine.”
The Clippers will start at home tomorrow evening with the Blazers reception.
| Russell Westbrook | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2008-09 | OKAY | 82 | 33 | 39.8 | 27.1 | 81.5 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 0.2 | 15.3 |
| 2009-10 | OKAY | 82 | 34 | 41.8 | 22.1 | 78.0 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 8.0 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 16.1 |
| 2010-11 | OKAY | 82 | 35 | 44.2 | 33.0 | 84.2 | 1.5 | 3.2 | 4.6 | 8.2 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 0.4 | 21.9 |
| 2011-12 | OKAY | 66 | 35 | 45.7 | 31.6 | 82.3 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 23.6 |
| 2012-13 | OKAY | 82 | 35 | 43.8 | 32.3 | 80.0 | 1.4 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 7.4 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 23.2 |
| 2013-14 | OKAY | 46 | 31 | 43.7 | 31.8 | 82.6 | 1.2 | 4.5 | 5.7 | 6.9 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 0.2 | 21.8 |
| 2014-15 | OKAY | 67 | 34 | 42.6 | 29.9 | 83.5 | 1.9 | 5.4 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 4.4 | 0.2 | 28.2 |
| 2015-16 | OKAY | 80 | 34 | 45.4 | 29.6 | 81.2 | 1.8 | 6.0 | 7.8 | 10.4 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 4.3 | 0.3 | 23.5 |
| 2016-17 ★ | OKAY | 81 | 35 | 42.5 | 34.3 | 84.5 | 1.7 | 9.0 | 10.7 | 10.4 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 5.4 | 0.4 | 31.6 |
| 2017-18 | OKAY | 80 | 36 | 44.9 | 29.8 | 73.7 | 1.9 | 8.2 | 10.1 | 10.3 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 4.8 | 0.3 | 25.4 |
| 2018-19 | OKAY | 73 | 36 | 42.8 | 29.0 | 65.6 | 1.5 | 9.6 | 11.1 | 10.7 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 23.0 |
| 2019-20 | HOU | 57 | 36 | 47.2 | 25.8 | 76.3 | 1.8 | 6.2 | 7.9 | 7.0 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 4.5 | 0.4 | 27.3 |
| 2020-21 | W.A.S. | 65 | 36 | 43.9 | 31.5 | 65.6 | 1.7 | 9.9 | 11.5 | 11.7 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 4.8 | 0.4 | 22.2 |
| 2021-22 | LAL | 78 | 34 | 44.4 | 29.8 | 66.7 | 1.4 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 7.1 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 0.3 | 18.5 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 73 | 29 | 43.6 | 31.1 | 65.6 | 1.2 | 4.6 | 5.8 | 7.6 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 15.9 |
| 2022-23 * | LAL | 52 | 29 | 41.7 | 29.6 | 65.5 | 1.1 | 5.0 | 6.2 | 7.5 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 15.9 |
| 2022-23 * | LAKE | 21 | 30 | 48.9 | 35.6 | 65.8 | 1.4 | 3.4 | 4.9 | 7.6 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 0.5 | 15.8 |
| Total | 1094 | 34 | 43.8 | 30.5 | 77.8 | 1.6 | 5.7 | 7.3 | 8.4 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 0.3 | 22.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
