The Lakers’ season has been disappointing. This past weekend was particularly rough. They suffered a big loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, 123-95, with boos from fans most of the night. Lakers’ star Russell Westbrook, an L.A. native, who they invested in heavily this offseason, criticized the team. He was asked if the Lakers’ fanbase has been supportive, despite losing nine of their last twelve games.
“Nah,” Westbrook said. “Take it home? Why? I’ve got three great kids waiting. If they boo, they can leave. It doesn’t affect me. …”
“For my kids, no. But for our team, it’s not a big deal. We’ll move forward,” Westbrook added.
The Lakers are far from a winning record and still heading the wrong way. Their situation is precarious, with a two-game gap between them being in the play-in tournament or missing out entirely, and only 22 games left. Their road ahead gets tougher, facing the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors this week.
“We’re facing tough matches: Dallas, the Clippers again on Thursday, and Golden State on Saturday,” LeBron James mentioned. “Plus, we have 10 away games this month, making it even harder for us.”
Where should the Lakers head next?
The Pelicans loss was disheartening, with both Westbrook and James each having seven turnovers. The team had a total of 23 turnovers in the game, resulting in 25 points for New Orleans, as reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN. In the second half, they were outscored 44-25, leading to the boos.
“Our outside shooting is a challenge, and the lane is crowded. We’re pushing the ball inside, either by passing or dribbling, which leads to lots of turnovers,” noted Lakers’ Coach Frank Vogel.
The experienced and upcoming Hall of Famer reacted positively to the setback. Dwight Howard shared supportive words with his team and Lakers fans.
“It’s tempting to give up, be negative,” Howard said. “But we must stay positive, not give in. Though it’s been tough, we can’t quit.”
Westbrook’s candid comment: ‘Give it your all and let’s see the outcome’
Vogel has emphasized moving forward since joining the Lakers. Whether the outcome is positive or negative on the court, the focus is always on the next play. Westbrook, on the other hand, appears to be dwelling on the losses, which is causing concern. Fans expressed their dissatisfaction with his attitude during the game.
“Other teams are stepping up their effort and that seems to be their strategy: outworking us to get results,” Westbrook said. “And it’s working.”
