The Los Angeles Lakers were back on the hardwood against a very talent-depleted Portland Trail Blazers team on the road. The news was not about on the floor but off. After the Milwaukee Bucks smoked the Lakers like a pack of Kools on Tuesday night, the storyline was about Russell Westbrook voicing his displeasure (Like again!) on being benched for the entire fourth quarter.
This is probably a benchmark of the season here with Russ’ press conference.
"I told [AD and LeBron] I wish I could help them. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the game to help...that's not my call." Russell Westbrook addresses the media following tonight's 131-116 #Lakers loss. @LakersReporter pic.twitter.com/LJXE0tMCi6
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) February 9, 2022
Well Russell Westbrook was not benched in the fourth quarter so that piece of drama can be shelved, but he did miss the game for what was reported by back tightness. Nobody on the staff of Lake Show Life believes this and we will discuss this further in the story part of this article.
Longtime readers of Lake Show Life knows that this writer loves to be right. Well sometimes there’s a blip in the analysis…let’s go back to good part of the Milwaukee post game report.
"They play the Portland Trail Blazers next with no Norman Powell or C.J. McCollum due to being traded away. As bad as the Lakers played last week against Portland, the Blazers were just as bad, maybe even worse. At least Portland had an excuse. Some of their players had their bags packed. Powell gave the Lakers the business last week scoring 30 points on 10/20 shooting and McCollum had 15 of his own. If that game ends up in a loss, the Los Angeles Lakers should start to think about developing the younger players and think about the offseason."