LA Lakers coach reveals getting Russell Westbrook the respect he deserves was one of his main goals: “I told him, ‘Believe in me bro, I’ll put you in a position to succeed’”

Russell Westbrook and the LA Lakers can rest a little easier. After starting the season with five consecutive losses, the Lakers picked up their first victory last night. They beat the Denver Nuggets by a final score of 121-110.

The Lakers have struggled to get production from their supporting cast. Russell Westbrook was under the most scrutiny. He was searching to find his role with the team.

That changed on Sunday night. Coming off the bench, Westbrook had his best game of the season. The veteran guard finished with 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham was emotional about Westbrook's performance following the game.

"I told him...'Believe in me, bro. I'm gonna put you in a position to succeed'. ...But you have to put the group first. It cant be about Me or I or Mine. Its gotta be Us, Ours, We."

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Russell Westbrook impresses during Lakers first win of the season

Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook

The LA Lakers were desperate for a win entering Sunday night. They came into the matchup against the Nuggets as underdogs. The Nuggets had beaten them 110-99 earlier in the week.

The Lakers' struggles have dominated the headlines. Many fans and media pundits were calling for the team to make an impactful trade. Russell Westbrook's time in Los Angeles seemed to be nearing its end.

Before his outing against the Nuggets, Westbrook was averaging 12.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. During that stretch, he was shooting 30.9% from the field and 12.5% from 3-point range.

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The Lakers are hoping to build off this win. While it's been a nightmare start to the season, there's still time for the Lakers to get back on track. But it won't be easy. There are a lot of challenging opponents on the horizon.

The Lakers have three more games on their current homestand. Their next game is against a New Orleans Pelicans team that is eager to prove themselves in the Western Conference. The Pelicans defeated the LA Clippers 112-91 on Sunday night.

The Lakers will welcome the Utah Jazz to Crypto.com Arena on Friday, November 4. The Jazz have been the league's biggest surprise. They have a 5-2 record to start the season.

The Lakers will end their homestand with a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers look like one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference.