LOS ANGELES – If his relaxed body language didn’t tell the whole story, then perhaps Russell Westbrook’s filled in the gaps with his words.
Westbrook might have his competitive juices flowing with the No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers (44-38) facing the No. 4 Phoenix Suns (45-37) in a first-round playoff series beginning on Sunday (8 pm ET, TNT). But don’t expect the setting to spark any animosity for Suns forward Kevin Durant, who played with Westbrook in Oklahoma City (2008-2016) before departing as a free agent to the Golden State Warriors (2016-2019).
“Normal for me. People still think there is some beef or something. There’s no beef of any sort,” Russell Westbrook said before Wednesday’s practice at the Clippers’ facility. “That’s the good narrative for people to talk about. There’s no beef. I got nothing but respect for him and things he’s done with his career.”
Therefore, Westbrook praised Durant on a few developments. He expressed relief that Durant has recovered from overlapping injuries to his left ankle and right knee that sidelined him for a combined 19 games after the Suns acquired him from Brooklyn before the trade deadline. Westbrook complimented Durant for averaging 26 points on a career-high 57 percent mark from the field. And Westbrook described Durant as “one of the best scorers I’ve seen that can score at ease and make it look so effortlessly.”
In other words, don’t predict the two will engage in any trash talk or physical altercations. At least not enough to cross any lines.
“There’s no beef at all,” Westbrook said. “He knows I’m going to compete. I know he’s going to compete.”
A different Russell Westbrook
Another factor that explains Westbrook’s relaxed demeanor? He reported feeling more empowered playing for the Clippers after experiencing a turbulent 1½ seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
In his first season under Lakers coach Frank Vogel, Westbrook showed mixed results with playing on and off the ball while LeBron James and Anthony Davis nursed overlapping injuries. The Lakers fired Vogel and hired Darvin Ham in hopes to maximize Westbrook’s fit in his second season. Ham eventually played Westbrook as a reserve and occasionally sat him at the end of games, a role that Westbrook accepted reluctantly and with occasional frustration. The Lakers then dealt Westbrook to Utah before the trade deadline in a three-team trade while landing three Minnesota players to address positional needs with playmaking (D’Angelo Russell), shooting (Malik Beasley) and rebounding (Jarred Vanderbilt).
“It’s unfortunate it didn’t work out, but I applaud him,” Ham said recently. “I appreciate him. I respect him for what he tried to do for me, in particular as a head coach in terms of sacrificing and believing in the realignment. A lot more positive moments than negative ones where he came out and competed and helped us win some games.”
Russell Westbrook simply described his stint with the Lakers as “an experience” before adding, “I’m past it now, in a new place and looking forward.” And why shouldn’t he feel that way? Westbrook may have averaged similar numbers with the Lakers (15.9 points, 7.5 assists, 6.2 rebounds 3.5 turnovers) and the Clippers (15.8 points, 7.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 turnovers). But Westbrook has shot more efficiently with the Clippers (48.9 percent) than with the Lakers (41.7 percent).
The reasons? When the Clippers signed Westbrook on the buyout market, they didn’t expect him to play as a third star along Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. With the Clippers boasting more shooting depth, Westbrook has more space to operate to ensure more shots at the rim. With the Clippers offering more defensive versatility, Westbrook can operate more in transition. Because of those dynamics, the Clippers have mostly enjoyed Westbrook’s positive attributes while better absorbing his negative qualities.
“I didn’t know he would be this good, this quick,” Clippers coach Ty Lue said recently. “Honestly, I didn’t know. I just know I love his approach and how he plays every night and the passion he plays with every night as far as playing hard defensively, attacking the basket and pushing the ball in transition. That allows us to get easy baskets.”
Lue expressed uncertainty on how Westbrook would react with sitting in crunchtime. But Lue observed that “he wasn’t complaining.” Instead, Westbrook has exerted his energy elsewhere. The Clippers praised Westbrook for mentoring the team’s young players (Terance Mann, Bones Hyland). They shared that Westbrook has increased the team’s practice intensity. And, oh yeah, the Clippers argue the nine-time All-Star can still play, too.
“It’s his pace and athletic ability and being able to find guys,” Clippers forward Norman Powell said. “He’s done a great job with that and making things a little easier for everybody around him. He’s still being a guy that can get you 25-10.”
Is this what Westbrook envisioned when he joined the Clippers following short stints in Houston (2019-20), Washington (2020-21) and the Lakers (2021-23)?
“No expectations of anything. I just wanted to come in and be myself, honestly,” Westbrook said. “They welcomed me with open arms and allowed that to happen. I’m grateful and excited to just continue the opportunity.”
Expect Russell Westbrook to have a larger opportunity in the Clippers’ first-round series against Phoenix. They may rely on Westbrook’s playoff experience. They may tap into Westbrook’s familiarity with Durant as both a teammate and opponent as well as Chris Paul as an opponent. And they may lean on Westbrook to mitigate George’s expected absence to open the playoffs after missing the team’s final nine regular-season games with a sprained right knee. George completed shooting drills before Wednesday’s practice, and the Clippers have said he is “undergoing exercises and therapies to rehabilitate his sprained knee.” But the Clippers added, “there is no timetable for his return.”
“My role and what I’m able to do on the court changes,” Westbrook said. “It varies now obviously with PG out. That’s 25-30 points gone, not just from myself, but the group of the guys. We have to figure out how to fill that void. Maybe there are nights I score more. Maybe there is a night somebody else scores more. I think collectively my job is to make sure we can fill that void as a team.”
Russell Westbrook sounded optimistic he can fulfill that task. “I feel good,” he said, an apt description for how he feels about his health, his new team and his attitude toward Durant.