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Lakers need vintage Russell Westbrook against Jazz to keep hopes alive

By Jason Reed

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 18: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers stands for the American national anthem ahead of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on March 18, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 18: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers stands for the American national anthem ahead of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on March 18, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers are on the road to take on the Utah Jazz on Thursday night and are significantly depleted. LeBron James is still dealing with an ankle injury that he suffered against the New Orleans Pelicans and will miss his second game in a row.

Both LeBron and Anthony Davis are hopeful to return on Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans in Los Angeles, but either guy returning (let alone both at the same time) is far from a guarantee. Either way, LA is running out of time.

The Lakers are currently the 10th seed in the Western Conference with a half-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs. However, the Spurs (and ninth-seeded Pelicans) have the tiebreaker over the Lakers and an easier schedule to finish out on.

Every single game should be treated as a do-or-die game and the team cannot simply wave the white flag on Thursday and hope that LeBron James and Anthony Davis can come back on Friday and actually play well enough to win.

The Los Angeles Lakers need a vintage Russell Westbrook performance against the Jazz.

The entire reason why the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook was to take some of the regular-season pressure off of LeBron James. That has obviously not worked out as planned as the Westbrook fit can best be described as dysfunctional.

To give Russ credit, he has been the lone durable player on the Lakers this season and with the Lakers at their lowest point, they have to turn to the player that arguably put them in this position to begin with.

For better or worse, Thursday night should be the Russell Westbrook show. Frank Vogel should be handing the reins over to Westbrook and simply tell him to go to work. Give him that confidence to try and single-handily win this game and maybe, just maybe, LA can get a vintage OKC Westbrook performance.

The chances of the team winning are still pretty small but the only way that the Lakers are winning this game is if Westbrook has his best game of the season. LA is not going to beat the Jazz by getting Malik Monk and Carmelo Anthony involved. They are going to beat Utah if Westbrook can ball out.

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The Lakers are 13.5-point underdogs against the Utah Jazz on WynnBET. If they are going to shock the world as +700 underdogs then they need Westbrook to go off. Give him the chance and live with the results. What else is the team going to do?

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