"Russ will be better without LeBron, and that's a huge benefit"- Chris Broussard on the LA Lakers' chances with Russell Westbrook when LeBron James is on the bench

Russell Westbrook has endured a tumultuous start to his Los Angeles Lakers career. However, he came roaring back as he gave us a glimpse of why the Lakers traded for him in a dominant performance against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Lakers faced the Spurs without the services of LeBron James but were able to see off San Antonio on the back of an impressive display by Westbrook and Anthony Davis. Russ was aggressive and looked to make the right plays from the jump, ending the night with 33 points, eight assists, 10 rebounds and three steals. His contribution helped seal the victory for the Lakers in an overtime nail-biter.

Russell Westbrook was brought in by the Lakers for moments like these where they suffered last season when LeBron was not on the court. That had eventually ended up leading to a less favorable matchup and an early exit in the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers will not have to worry about that with Russ around.

NBA analyst Chris Broussard was quick to point this out. He spoke about how Westbrook will help the Lakers get wins such as the one against the Spurs when LeBron is on the bench or out injured. During an appearance on FS1's First Things First, here is what he had to say:

This isn't why you brought in Russell Westbrook, you brought him in to win a title. ... But Russ will be better w/o LeBron, and that's a huge benefit. The Lakers have been 23-35 in the last 3 seasons w/o LeBron. Now, they can still be a good team w/o him.

Having the assurance of Russell Westbrook being on the roster will help LeBron James and Anthony Davis conserve their energy for the post-season. They will embark on their campaign to win a record-tying 18th NBA championship for the Lakers.

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Can Russell Westbrook win an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers?

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Russell Westbrook calling out a play

Russell Westbrook returned home to Los Angeles with the intention of fulfilling his childhood dream of winning an NBA championship for the team he grew up rooting for.

Westbrook has a storied, first-ballot Hall-of-Fame worthy resume but is also one of the most polarizing figures in the league. Russ' trade to the Lakers was highly debated. Many said that LeBron James and Anthony Davis would not be able to win with a ball-hog like Russ.

Westbrook may have his weaknesses, like every player but is a highly competitive individual. He has proven more often than not that he can put the team's needs in front of his own, while proving to us that he has the capability to lead a team through adversity.

He has the ideal opportunity to shut his haters up for good by lifting the Larry O'Brien trophy at the end of the season. However, he will have to lock in and play at a very high level to do so. There is no doubt he is more than capable of that, like he showed us in the game against Spurs.