Russell Westbrook‘s long-awaited debut for the Los Angeles Clippers finally took place on Friday night, and the game certainly didn't disappoint. While Los Angeles will be upset that they ended up falling short in a thrilling 176-175 loss to the Sacramento Kings, they will likely be pleased with Westbrook's debut for them.
Westbrook posted a double-double by dropping 17 points while also adding 14 assists, and while he did commit seven turnovers, it looks like Westbrook could be the playmaker that helps open L.A.'s offense up. In fact, Westbrook's passing clinic was so good that he actually ended up finding his way into the record books for the Clippers in his first game with the team, as his 14 assists tied Andre Miller for the most assists from a Clippers player in their debut with the team.
Russell Westbrook balled out in his Clipper debut 🤩 pic.twitter.com/0pHw1YGGyT
— ESPN (@espn) February 25, 2023
Russell Westbrook played a big role in helping Kawhi Leonard score 44 points and Paul George get 34 of his own, which is precisely what the Clippers want. It hasn't always been easy for L.A. this season, especially given the struggles Leonard has had at times in his return to the court after a year-plus layoff, but the Clippers haven't necessarily had the personnel alongside him and Goerge to help them succeed.
With a true facilitator running their offense in Westbrook, the Clippers have succeeded in their quest to open things up for Leonard and George. And while they didn't beat the Kings, they put the league on notice by dropping 175 points in this one. If that's a sign of anything, it shows that the Clippers could finally be able to reach their potential now that they have Westbrook running their offense.
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