The Houston Rockets proved on Friday night that they are more than capable of being one of the best defensive teams in the league, as they shut down the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their second-round playoffs matchup. Rockets star Russell Westbrook was on point on defense all night long, hounding Lakers sharpshooter Danny Green — even during timeouts.
Westbrook was so laser-focused on contesting all of LA's attempts, that he decided to defend Green's practice shot during a dead ball. The former MVP spoke out about his rationale after the game:
Russell Westbrook: "No extra shots. He can shoot those shots tomorrow or before the game. At least me personally, my guys know that I don’t want to give no advantage, no nothing. Let them know that we’re here. Every time they shoot the ball, we’re going to be right there." https://t.co/Ec5TxTAPdG
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) September 5, 2020
That play may look funny on the broadcast, but Westbrook has an excellent point here. Green is the type that can get hot at any given point, and sometimes, it comes down to making a practice shot during a game break. Westbrook had no intentions of running this risk.
True enough, Green had another off shooting night in Game 1, going 4-of-12 from the floor and 2-of-7 from distance for just 10 points. It was a complete team effort for the Rockets against Green and the rest of the Lakers, and this resulted in a lopsided 112-97 victory for Houston.
Anthony Davis put up a 25-point, 14-rebound double-double, while LeBron James logged 20 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Their numbers may look relatively good, but there's no denying that the Rockets succeeded in containing both guys on the evening.
Davis and James did most of their damage in the first three quarters, but were pretty much MIA in the crucial fourth period. If the Rockets keep this up, they should be on their way to an amazing upset against a heavily-favored Lakers side.
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