Despite the fact that they still aren't winning too many games, it's hard to deny that the Los Angeles Lakers are looking like a better team right now than they were when they started the season. This has a lot to do with the significant improvement of Russell Westbrook since he was moved to the bench by head coach Darvin Ham.
Not everyone expected it, but Russ has now completely embraced his role with the second unit. In spite of the fact that he's been a starter for pretty much his entire career, Westbrook fully accepted this significant role change, and it has clearly worked wonders for him. Coach Ham could not agree more (h/t ClutchPoints on Twitter):
“We just freed him up to go be Russ,” Ham told ESPN's Malika Andrews in a recent interview. “When Russ is out there we want him to be exactly who he is. He’s embraced it, he’s sacrificed, and he’s thrived because of it. And I think the Russell Westbrook you're seeing is only going to get better.”
Since taking on a role with the second unit, Russ has averaged 18.3 points on 44.9 percent shooting, 5.1 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. He's also knocking down 1.9 triples per game on a very efficient 41.5-percent clip. The former league MVP is still playing 29.6 minutes per contest, which is a clear indication that the Lakers are still leaning on him heavily to help the squad win games.
Right now, Westbrook ranks second in the league in bench scoring behind Indiana Pacers breakout rookie Bennedict Mathurin who's putting up 19.9 points per game. At this point, Russ actually has a legitimate shot at winning the Sixth Man of the Year title.
According to coach Ham, communication is key. He makes it a point to make sure that he's able to stay on the same page with Russ as he helps the nine-time All-Star with this transition. Ham appears to have won Westbrook's trust and the results have been great.
“He knows I care about him, but I also care about totality and the entire team,” Ham said. “And so, he knows I'm not going to put him in a position where I think he's gonna have an opportunity to fail.”