For one night, Russell Westbrook didn't come out of a Los Angeles Lakers game as the unwanted villain.

Instead of being the perceived, or actual, cause for his team's downfall — and the ire of Lakers fans — Westbrook saved the day in a 128-123 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors.

Fittingly, Westbrook — who can imbue differing personalities as possessions and quarters come and go — Two-Faced within the final seconds of regulation on Friday. More accurately, he pulled the Inverse Two-Face: You either die a villain or live long enough to see yourself become the hero.

With 12.5 seconds and the Lakers down by three, Westbrook claimed an offensive rebound off a LeBron James miss and hoisted a rushed three-pointer that caromed off the top of the backboard. After a timeout, Russell Westbrook stole the rock from Scottie Barnes and pushed the ball up-court to the right wing. He checked his feet just in time and sunk a three to tie the game with 0.4 seconds remaining.

It was a more unexpected plot twist than you'll find in most superhero movies.

“I looked very quickly but I wanted to make sure I was behind it at least just so that I could get my foot back to shoot,” Russ recalled.

Russell Westbrook was productive within the flow of the game wire-to-wire. He finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists — his first triple-double since New Year's Eve. He shot 4-of-7 from downtown after entering the game 3-for-27 from deep since the All-Star break.

“This was a grind-out game,” he emphasized.

The win snapped the Lakers (30-40) 11-game road losing streak. They are 3-9 since the All-Star break, and now have a win when LeBron doesn't drop 50. LeBron, by the way, made his fair share of clutch plays, too, including this ridiculous bank three, a game-tying triple, a timely cut and slam, and a nifty recovery block, He ended up with 36 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists affair in 45 minutes.

Westbrook's triumph came hours after he was strangely accosted on the street by a Toronto local. (Russ said he has moved on from the matter and did not comment further.) Earlier this month, Westbrook spoke out against the harassment and criticism he and, disturbingly, his family has received during a trying season in his native Los Angeles.

“Throughout the year, ups and downs, the good and the bad, I lean so much on my faith,” Russell Westbrook said postgame. “Nights like tonight is the reason why I stay true to my faith and thankful to be able to just go out and be able to play and allow my talents and gifts that I was given to be shown on the basketball floor.”

“I’m super happy for him,” Frank Vogel said afterward. “He’s obviously dealt with a lot, more than most of us with the season in terms of criticism and whatnot. He’s handled it well and he’s staying in the fight and staying together with his teammates.”

Perhaps the strange fan interaction contributed to the good karma afforded Russ at the Scotiabank Arena. More likely, it was the result of the Lakers actually competing hard for a change — encapsulated by Russ' aggressive steal and score. Yes, the win required 40+ minutes from LeBron and Russ and a host of fortunate breaks, but the Lakers acted like they cared and were rewarded for it.

“To be able to come into a very hostile environment and win a basketball game in the way we won it was big for our team,” LeBron said. “And we literally need every minute, all 53 of them, to accomplish that.”

“You have to get some breaks along the way,” Vogel noted. “This has been one of those seasons where we just have not gotten any. In fact, it seems snake-bitten in a lot of ways where other teams are getting breaks. That was just a competitive spirit play for us to get that turnover and hit that big shot.”

It's fair for Vogel to feel that way, but, in reality, you have to create your own luck. The Lakers' consistently subpar effort has deprived them of any opportunity to do so.

“Our guys stayed in the fight,” Vogel said. “We’ve had a tough season and there have been plenty of opportunities to quit and to let go of the rope and give in. And our guys haven’t done that. We’re staying together. It hasn’t always been perfect. But we really competed the last couple of games and didn’t get ‘Ws,’ and came out tonight and just did it for 48 minutes.”

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4qJr8PRfMQkIddNt04tjzE?si=b44a3af26f7546a3

We shouldn't overlook the presence of Drake in the front row amidst an electric atmosphere — the Lakers hadn't paid a visit to the Six since March 2019 — which clearly juiced up the Lakers, like a Los Angeles Rams player sitting in the front row. We'll see how they respond in less than 24 hours in D.C., and whether LeBron plays at all.

“It was a great accomplishment to go out there on the road and be able to play the right way on both ends of the floor,” said Avery Bradley, who buried a semi-dagger triple with 32.5 seconds left in OT. “It was really refreshing, man. A great win; on to the next one.”