Breaking Down Russell Westbrook’s Clippers Debut

Russell Westbrook made his debut with the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night, and it was quite the spectacle. The teams combined for a record-setting 176-175 double-overtime win for the Sacramento Kings, and Westbrook finished with 17 points, 14 assists, seven turnovers, five rebounds and eight assists on 3-pointers.

Westbrook’s stat line was encouraging, but it was far from perfect. He had seven turnovers and six personal fouls, and some defensive lapses throughout the game. His eight assists on 3-pointers was his highest total in the last two seasons, showing how the Clippers might prove to be a better fit for him than the Los Angeles Lakers.

Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue admitted he should have played Terance Mann, the Clippers’ previous starter at point guard, more, but wanted to experiment with lineups featuring some of his team’s recently acquired players. After the game, Lue said he was pleased with Westbrook’s performance and noted he will be under the microscope for the foreseeable future.

It’s important to remember that this was only one game, and it’s too early to draw any concrete conclusions about Westbrook’s fit with the Clippers. However, the game showed that Westbrook can still be a valuable contributor and that the Clippers can benefit from his presence. If he can continue to produce like this and cut down on the negatives, the Clippers could have a real weapon on their hands.