LOS ANGELES — Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the fourth and final matchup of the season. The season series finishes tied at 2-2, and the Clippers' win gives them a one-game advantage in the Western Conference standings.
Wednesday's Warriors-Clippers game saw Stephen Curry explode for 50 points on 20-of-28 shooting from the field, including 8-of-14 from 3-point range. It wasn't enough to take down the Clippers, who were led by Kawhi Leonard's 30 points, eight rebounds, and five assists on 10-of-19 shooting.
Russell Westbrook also had arguably his best game of the season at the most important time. Westbrook finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists while turning the ball over zero times. Four of his nine rebounds were on the offensive end, which directly led to nine of the Clippers' season-high 27 second-chance points scored in the game.
Russell Westbrook had a rough game against Golden State in his first week with the team, but Wednesday's game against Stephen Curry and the Warriors was much different.
“I think he's starting to figure out his role if that makes sense, and the way that he can impact their team no matter how teams are defending him.” Stephen Curry told ClutchPoints about Westbrook. “It's one of those you kind of have to think creatively because they have a very interesting group of guys on both ends of the floor that can play the game a lot of different ways.”
Russell Westbrook's stint with the Clippers got off to an incredibly rough start, with the team losing its first five games out of the All-Star break. That 0-5 record could very easily have been 3-2 with an extra rebound here and a smart foul to prevent a 3-pointer there.
“The one thing about Russ we all know is no matter what people say about him or how he's playing, he competes,” Stephen Curry added on Russell Westbrook. “I know they love that about him. Every night, he shows up and plays hard. That's something you can't teach. It's kind of a lost art these days.”
Steph Curry on Russell Westbrook:
"The one thing about Russ we all know is no matter what people say about him, he competes… Every night, he shows up and plays hard. That's something you can't teach. It's kind of a lost art these days.”pic.twitter.com/EhdO2WGloJ
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 16, 2023
In nine games with the Clippers, Russell Westbrook is averaging 13.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.4 steals on 48.5 percent shooting from the field. After starting out 0-5, the Clippers have won four straight games with Westbrook as the starting point guard.
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