Russell Westbrook haspulled off his firstfantastic performance in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform after struggling in his first games of the 2021-22 NBA season. Without LeBron James, it was him and Anthony Davis who stepped up to get the win.
The Lakers claimed a 121-125 road triumph over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, making their record 2-2 and grabbing their second straight victory this campaign. One of the takeaways wasthe fact that Westbrook dropped more than 30 points.
The point guard has also captured 10 rebounds and provided eight assists in a night he has been really looking forward to having. However, Shaq is asking him not to get ahead of himself as he marked something he has to improve once LeBron is back.
Shaq explains what Westbrook needs to improve once LeBron is back
It’s not been an easy start for Westbrook, so his latest performance may have made him feel like he got a monkey off his shoulders. However, Shaquille O’Neal believes he should be concerned on what’s he going to do when LeBron returns to the lineup.
Well, Shaq explains that when that happens Westbrook won’t have the ball that much, so he’ll have to adjust to it.“He is going to have to figure out ways to make an impact without being on the ball all the time,” he said on Inside the NBA. “His whole career, he has been either number one or number two, now he is number three or four. I agree with Chuck, he has to push the pace. When they miss, he should be the first one on the court trying to get layups. When he gets the ball, he should be aggressive.
“The only reason why he had 33 points is ‘cause he took 27 shots. Now when LeBron has the ball all the time and throwing it to AD, he is not going to be able to get 27 shots. So again, he is going to have to find a way to make an impact on the game without having the ball all the time.”
It may sound a bit too harsh, but he has a point. Westbrook is without any doubt a huge upgrade for the Lakers but it’s also a new role for him, as he’s not the frontman anymore. So, it will be a challenge for him to find ways to impress when the ball is not in his hands.