The Westbrook Rules:
Westbrook Rule #1: Surround Russ with Elite Shooters
Westbrook Rule #2: Surround Russ with Elite Defenders
Westbrook Rule #3: Encourage Russ to Be Russ
There’s no doubt it will be difficult for the Lakers to follow the Westbrook rules, especially until all of the injured players are back, but they need to try and do that because it’s how they consistently get the best version of Russell Westbrook.
Russ will be walking this tightrope between standing out and fitting in all season. Truth is he’s not a ‘fit in’ kind of player. He’s more of a ‘stand out’ kind of player.
I’m hoping to see Triple-Double Russ on the court tonight. The metric that counts is still the win but I think Russ having a triple-double would almost guarantee a LeBron/AD team won the game.
Lakers need to let Russ be Russ.
But in the end, it’s Russ who has to be Russ.