The highly-anticipated game between the Sacramento Kings and the LA Clippers on Saturday had to be a grand debut for Russell Westbrook, as he was the center of attention. But, following the excitement and run-through of the game, it is the scoreboard that caught everyone’s eye in the end.
The Kings defeated the Clippers with 176-175 on the final board and that too in double overtime. This turned out to be the second-highest-scoring game in NBA history after the first which was 22 years ago. A new record of 44 3-pointers combined for both teams was also the most in a game in NBA history. The Kings are currently 3rd in the Western Conference Standings while the Clippers are 5th with a difference of just one game. Also read: Klay Thompson hits 42 points to lead the Warriors to a 116-101 victory over the Rockets
Russell Westbrook and his first game against the Sacramento Kings in the Clippers lineup
Westbrook who was to debut in his first game with the Clippers went on to give an impressive performance despite his few minutes on the court. He finished with 17 points and 14 assists while being a new force for his new team. Despite his average shooting he managed to complete his score of 17 points on 7 out of 13 shooting on the court. Overall Westbrook’s been averaging 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game this season.
Although Westbrook had a good game it was De’Aaron Fox who stole the spotlight. Fox impressed the audience with an outstanding 42 points and 12 assists, and also had a game-winning shot at the end of the double over-time. The 25-year-old point guard is been averaging 24.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game this season. Malik Monk also performed well in the game scoring his career-high 45 points for the Kings. Also read: <strong>Milwaukee Bucks 13th straight match win sets new season record, surpassing the Nets streak</strong>
Westbrook and his negatives
Despite Westbrook’s contribution to the game he was completely outperformed by other players. He’s had his share of negatives of the game with seven turnovers and six fouls, but as for what he added to the score certainly made up for his mistakes.
Since the last two seasons, Westbrook has been on the radar of the media actively critiquing his game of basketball. As he’s been constantly facing in-form and out-of-form problems the fans and the media are nowhere lacking in holding Westbrook responsible for his team’s breakouts. Also, in the previous season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Westbrook had to face a lot of criticism for holding LeBron James and his team back.
While it’s unfair to judge Westbrook’s fit with the Clippers based on one game, it’s clear that his presence has brought excitement and potential to the team. If he continues to perform at a high level, it will definitely make the Clippers and their fans happy. Also Read: Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat Final Injury Report date – 24/02/2023: Is Giannis Antetokounmpo Playing against Miami Heat Tonight?
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