No active NBA player has taken more scrutiny to start the season than Russell Westbrook in his first few games with the Los Angeles Lakers.

But with his latest performance in a Lakers victory over the San Antonio Spurs, he likely silenced a few of the whispers for the time being. Westbrook's thunderous dunk in overtime probably helped his cause quite a bit.

Check out the Lakers star take out his frustrations on the rim:

The big-time performance and win to go along with it must feel like a load off of Russell Westbrook's shoulders. In his first three games with the Lakers, Westbrook has averaged just 12.0 points per game on a brutal 34.9% shooting from the field and 41.7% from the free throw line. Top that off with his 5.7 turnovers per game and purple and gold supporters weren't exactly too cheery about his productions.

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But perhaps this latest display is Russell Westbrook's turning point. The Lakers guard posted 33 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists on a much-improved 15-for-27 shooting clip and “just” three turnovers.

It's interesting to note that this breakout game happened with LeBron James sidelined with injury. One of the biggest criticisms on Russ joining the Lakers was the fact that his skill set overlapped with King James as an on-ball creator. Nonetheless, this is a definite step in the right direction as LA tries to maximize all the talent on its roster.