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The Los Angeles Lakers were able to take down the Miami Heat 120-117 in overtime on Wednesday night, with Russell Westbrook delivering a triple-double.
Westbrook notched 25 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds in the thrilling victory that moved the Lakers to 7-5. It was his third triple-double as a member of the Lakers and his second straight.
Anthony Davis had some playful shade for Westbrook after the victory, thanking him for keeping it a triple-double and not a quadruple-double due to turnovers. Westbrook is averaging 5.1 turnovers per game this season and has notched double-digit turnovers once.
“He’s fearless, relentless, and then also you know his ability to see the floor,” Davis told reporters on Wednesday. “We had a conversation about what he wants to see from us so we can help him cut down the turnovers. We talked about it and it showed tonight.”
Davis then stopped and looked at the box score.
“I say that and he had eight,” the Lakers big man said, cracking a smile. “He had a triple-double, not a quadruple-double.”
On a more serious note, Davis commended Westbrook for his grit and determination on the court, stepping up when it mattered most down the stretch.
“One thing about Russ is that he has no conscience,” Davis said. “He can miss 20 in a row he’s going to shoot the next one.”
Lakers Took Blowout Loss to Portland ‘Personally’
The Lakers have had a rocky start to the year but the rock-bottom moment early on came in a 105-90 loss to the Trail Blazers that wasn’t even as close as the final score indicated. Multiple Lakers mentioned that game as a turning point for the team, helping them kick it into gear with LeBron James sidelined due to injury.
“After that Portland loss, we took that personally,” Davis said. “These last two games have definitely been fun. Guys are starting to realize how good of a team we are, and we just have to take that mindset to the floor.”
The victory against the Heat was the second-straight in overtime for the Lakers, who needed extra time against the Hornets earlier in the week after blowing a late lead.
Microwave Malik Monk Steps up in Win Against Heat
While Westbrook and Davis did their jobs, Malik Monk was the difference-maker for the Lakers, going off for 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting.
“We call him Microwave. Instant scorer,” Davis said. “We still don’t know how we got him for what we got him for. He can play. He’s just a hell of a player. He’s shot a lot of big shots, made a lot of big shots, and this is going to continue to build his confidence in what we do.”
On a veteran-laden roster with big names, it’s easy to overlook Monk. But the 23-year-old has tremendous upside and is making his impact felt.
“I had this role a couple of times in Charlotte when a lot of guys got hurt,” Monk told reporters. “I had to come in, play big minutes and facilitate and do all the things I normally don’t do. I work on my game a lot, so I was really prepared for this moment.”
The Lakers have a day off before facing the Timberwolves on Friday.
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