Getty Images Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Russell Westbrook did not take too kindly to Hornets forward Miles Bridges calling him “too small” on Friday during a Los Angeles Lakers loss.
With the Lakers storming back, Bridges bullied Westbrook for a bucket and a foul, busting out the too-small celebration. He was quickly assessed a technical by the refs and also lit a fire under Westbrook, who nearly led LA to an improbable victory with some clutch play down the stretch.
« Too small » 🤏
Miles Bridges a pris une technique pour ce petit geste de trashtalking envers Russel Westbrook …
Ridicule.
When asked about the moment after the game, Westbrook delivered a message for Bridges.
“I think he was trying to say I was too small or something. And he and I know that ain’t the case,” Westbrook told reporters.
Russell Westbrook on the tech issued to Miles Bridges: I think he was trying to say I was too small or something. And he and I know that ain’t the case.
Bridges said after the game that was good-natured, although Westbrook isn’t someone to play around with.
“I was just having fun. Russell does that every time he scores on someone smaller than him and I did it to him and I got a tech. Hopefully I get my money back, it’s all good,” Bridges said.
He also gave major props to Westbrook, who has been under fire this season but exploded for 35 points against the Hornets with LeBron James and Anthony Davis sidelined. His 30 points in the second half were the most by a Lakers player in a half since Kobe Bryant’s final game.
“He’s a great player, man. All the hate he gets, I don’t get it.”
—Miles Bridges on Russell Westbrook
“Russell Westbrook — he gets all the hate in the world but you got to praise the man,” Bridges said. “He’s an MVP in this league, made the finals. He’s a great player, man. All the hate he gets, I don’t get it. But yeah, Russell Westbrook did a great job.”
Westbrook Sill Finding Role With Lakers
As Bridges mentions, Westbrook is a former MVP and has an incredible resume. However, he’s had a hard time making an impact on the Lakers — his fourth team in four years.
Westbrook had more freedom against the Hornets with James and Davis on the sideline but wants to make the same kind of impact with the star duo in the lineup.
“Yeah, I mean that’s the part that we’re trying to figure out,” Westbrook told reporters after the loss on January 29. “I think ultimately when myself and AD and Bron are on the court, we’ve got to be able to figure that out to where I can still keep my same speed and pace to the basket and allow me to make the game easy for them, and it’s something that we briefly talked about after the game. About positioning, and things they saw tonight from sitting on the bench to be able to help them out.”
“So hopefully as we kind of move forward through this season and get ready for our run we can put some games together where we like the way we’re playing.”
Lakers Have Decision to Make on Russell Westbrook
With the trade deadline approaching on February 10, the Lakers have to make a final decision on the Westbrook experiment and if they feel it’s salvageable.
The question for the Lakers is if they can find any takers for Westbrook’s massive contract and what they could get in return. As Westbrook showed against the Hornets, he can still churn out star-level performances.
“It’s something that when the team needs me to do it, I can still do it,” Westbrook told reporters. “That’s the most important part. The unfortunate part is we didn’t win the game, but with my teammates and those guys giving me confidence to be aggressive and make the right reads, it was good to get that going.”
At 24-26, the Lakers are currently the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference.