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Russell Westbrook's job is to make his Los Angeles Lakers teammates better. That includes helping them succeed off-the-court, too — even while injured, as is the case of Anthony Davis.
AD will miss at least four weeks after an MRI revealed a strained MCL in his left knee. While the news could have been far worse, the injury is still a blow to Los Angeles, who have been unable to settle into a groove thanks to an unceasing stream of untimely developments.
A dejected Lakers group — who also have multiple players in health and safety protocols — fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, 110-92, after Jaden McDaniels fell into AD's knee in the third quarter, prompting Davis to painfully limp to the locker room.
On Sunday, in Davis' hometown, the Lakers fought hard but dropped a nail-biter to the Chicago Bulls, 115-110.
Afterward, Westbrook addressed Davis' knee sprain. He said the best he can do, as a teammate, is to provide emotional support.
“It’s tough. Anytime you see somebody go down, they gotta miss some time, especially from the game that they love to play. It’s tough. I’ve been there and I understand just the emotional state. Just try to keep uplifting him, staying positive, talking to him. Making sure he’s trying to win each day so he can get back healthy.”
Westbrook, who had 20 points on 9-of-19 shooting in Chicago, was also asked if he thinks he has to individually carry a bigger offensive load for the Lakers while Davis is sidelined.
“Instinctively, that's what you tell yourself. But also you have to read the game because the game will tell you always what to do…AD’s obviously a huge part of our team, we gotta figure out how to play without him for some time. Something we gotta adjust to.”
The Lakers acquired Westbrook because LeBron and AD wanted a third star to help ease the burden over the course of a long season. Obviously, the intention was to have all three stars healthy. But whether Westbrook is up to the task will suddenly be put to a crucial test.
