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LA Lakers coach Darvin Ham wants Russell Westbrook to be in the conversation for the 6th Man of the Year award this season.
Westbrook has thrived since moving to the Lakers bench. In his last three games as a sixth man, Russ has averaged 16.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists across three outings off the bench. He has also shot a respectable 46% from the field.
Westbrook was excellent during the Lakers' 120-117 OT win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. The former MVP bagged 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor. Westbrook put up those numbers in only 25 minutes of action.
It was his third consecutive quality display off the bench after proving his worth against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets.
Darvin Ham was pleased with how Russell Westbrook performed against the Pelicans. The rookie coach stated that his next objective was to get Westbrook into the 6th Man of the Year conversation.
Ham told reporters after the game (via Cooper Halpern):
"Trust me, Russ had a hell of a night, man. In the last three game he's been phenomenal. One of my goals selfishly is to get him in the conversation for 6th Man of the Year at some points, and why not start now?
"We were dragged under the mud earlier in the game and he came out and he gave us a huge huge boost. So, his fingerprints were definitely all over this game, in a positive productive manner."
The LA Lakers lost their grip on the contest against the New Orleans Pelicans at various junctures in the first half. LeBron James struggled with a foot injury and was under the weather, which took him time to get going. However, Russell Westbrook kept them in the game.
Ham put Westbrook on the floor to provide a boost for the Lakers and reaped the rewards for doing so. "Mr. Triple Double" played a crucial role in LA going on a 21-4 run later in the second quarter, giving the team a 12-point lead entering the break.
Darvin Ham playing an instrumental role in Russell Westbrook's rejuvenation
Russell Westbrook's tenure in LA has evidently not gone according to plan. The nine-time NBA All-Star came in with great expectations and the opportunity to play for his hometown franchise. However, his awkward fit with LeBron James resulted in a dip in his performance.
Westbrook averaged 18/7/7 on 44% shooting last season. While those were decent numbers, they were not up to the standard the former MVP had set for himself, especially after a triple-double 2020-21 season.
Westbrook struggled to play as the third option alongside two ball-dominant superstars in James and Anthony Davis. Injuries to the latter duo also prevented them from getting a consistent run together in the line-up.
Former Lakers coach Frank Vogel struggled to carve out a role for him, resulting in Russell Westbrook not making a positive impact. The roster was also poorly constructed, while Davis, considered the key piece, couldn't keep himself healthy.
The LA Lakers finished the season with a 33-49 record, missing the play-in tournament and, subsequently, the playoffs. Westbrook got overwhelmingly blamed for the team's struggles and fans wanted him gone this offseason. The Lakers also pursued trades with him as the centerpiece.
However, Darvin Ham has shown faith in Westbrook since he took over the reins. Russ has also shown more commitment by playing well on both ends of the floor this season and has seemingly accepted the role Ham assigned to him.
Russell Westbrook has played like a superstar again over the last three games and regained the confidence of the LA Lakers faithful. The Lakers have stopped their five-game losing slide with two successive wins, with his sacrifice and performance levels playing a vital role.
They will now hope he continues to make winning contributions in the long run.
Guess the Lakers players!
