By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham criticized the choice of Russell Westbrook to take a mid-range jumper with his team up 102-101 against the Portland Trail Blazers and 30 seconds to play in the game, including 18 for the Lakers to shoot.
Westbrook misfired. On the other end, Damian Lillard gave Blazers the lead with a 3-pointer.
“I just wish he attacked the rim,” Ham said. “Pat tried to set a little screen, Nurkic was in front of him, kind of back. In those moments, if you’re going to go 2 to 1 I think he has to be either you’re going to go downhill to attack the rim or go downhill for a draw and kick. I felt he settled on that.”
“You can make the debate to call timeout there or not,” Ham added. “I’d rather not because, again, the 2-for-1 was at our advantage. But shot selection is something we have to work on, something we have to get better at as we move forward and understanding time and score and where you want to attack in those types of situations.”
Westbrook was substituted with 12.4 seconds to play as Austin Reaves entered the court in his place. When Ham was asked if he has any concerns regarding how the former MVP will handle seeing the last moments of the match from the bench, he answered, “We don’t have time for people to be in their feelings.”
There has been a lot of criticism for Westbrook’s performances and particularly his shooting over the 0-3 stretch with which the Lakers began the season. He has been averaging 10.3 points on 28.3 percent from the field (including 1-2 3-pointers), plus 6.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists.