Ranking the Top 22 point guards for the 2021-22 season:https://t.co/bH03VKqey8 pic.twitter.com/yWYarS8aHK
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) August 25, 2021
#10 – Russell Westbrook (LA Lakers)
2020-21 stats: 22.2 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 11.7 apg, 1.4 spg, 43.9 FG%
A slow, injury-related start to last season had some thinking that we might finally be seeing the decline of Russell Westbrook – until a brilliant second half of the campaign changed the narrative on that idea entirely.
Westbrook, who led the league in nightly assists last campaign with 11.7, was monstrous from March through the end of 2020-21, averaging 23.7 points, 13.3 rebounds, 13.3 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 44.3 percent from the floor over a 36-game stretch to close the league year, helping lead the Wizards into the playoffs alongside Beal.
Now heading into his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Westbrook will be tasked with helping take some of the playmaking load off of LeBron James while wreaking pick-and-roll havoc alongside Anthony Davis, something that should be quite fun to behold for fans of the sport in general.
The almost-33-year-old Westbrook may be slowing a bit athletically and still lacks a reliable outside jumper, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a more tenacious point guard in the Association who plays as hard on a nightly basis as the former league MVP.
Lakers replaced Dennis Schroder, who didn’t make the top 22, with the #10 best point guard in the league. Then added eight elite shooters for less than $15M. For that, they got a C+ from ESPN for their offseason. LMAO.
What’s funny to me is how so many Laker fans spent years deriding Russ as a low IQ stat-chaser who could never contribute to a championship team. Now that he’s a Laker we wanna get butt-hurt when folks lob similar criticisms at him? Don’t fake the funk…..lol
He’s still that but sunshine pumpers can’t help themselves.
I agree with you, mongo. The reality is if you play against the Lakers I will consider you a sworn enemy and I will deride you in a very harsh way, but if you end up being a Laker I will consider you a best friend and I will shower you with all kinds of praises. Sometimes the enemy you fought hard against on the battlefield becomes your best friend. I used to dislike LeBron before he became a Laker but now he’s my precious jewel.