Lakers get blown out of gym by Timberwolves: The good, bad and story

The story from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:

The Los Angeles Lakers have a decision…play basketball or box scores.

This is no longer about Frank Vogel because this writer has stated that he needs to be replaced since the second game of the season. This is now about Rob Pelinka, Kurt and Linda Rambis and Ms. Jeanie Buss.

When is it going to set in that Russell Westbrook stagnates the offense when he is the point guard? There will be readers that will defend Russell Westbrook based on the STATS! Let’s look at them.

• Russell Westbrook: 20 points (7-11 shooting!), 5 rebounds and 3 assists.  

Looks good doesn’t it? Okay, let’s look deeper.

Russ had a plus/minus of -32 which was the worst by any player by a country mile. To put this in perspective, he was worse than Kent Bazemore (-25) and Carmelo Anthony (-20) and they combined for one basket and 3 points.

You see box scores don’t show the defensive side where the Wolves guards in Patrick Beverley and D’Angelo Russell spearheaded that rout in the third quarter. It does not show how AD disappeared after dominating the first half. Now that AD has been brought into the conversation, did anyone notice this during the game?

Rajon Rondo actually ran the offense more smoother than Russell Westbrook!   

Don’t wipe you eyes because it is true. Let’s look at what Rajon Rondo did in the box score.

• Rajon Rondo: 7 points (3-8 shooting!), 8 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals.

Doesn’t look as impressive as Westbrook’s stats does it? Well, let’s look deeper.

Rondo had a TEAM HIGH plus/minus by a country mile at +17. He was the only player (Sekou Doumbouya being the other!) that was positive in this category. Now let’s talk real basketball. Rondo played better because the man made it a point in this basketball game to find Anthony Davis and get him the ball.

The ball was jumping when he ran the point and he hooked up with AD numerous times. As mentioned before, he was on the floor when the Lakers made their huge run in the first quarter. Taking this back even further, the Lakers was rolling against the Charlotte Hornets before he made a stupid play and got himself thrown out.

As soon as Russ replaced him, he’s a part of the fiasco that got the Hornets back in the game.

Calling it hating on Russ if you like but welcome to authentic analysis from Lake Show Life.

The Lakers play the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.