Amid an exhilarating 2023-24 season, the Los Angeles Clippers have successfully left behind the early struggles of the James Harden era, tucked away in the dusty lockers of the past. With that, they have now treated fans to a tantalizing display of what they’ve always yearned for–their Big 4 dominating on the court. In the pivotal last 5 minutes of the game against the Brooklyn Nets, the Clippers deployed a closing lineup featuring James Harden, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Russell Westbrook. To the delight of fans, the super-quartet orchestrated a perfect 22-0 run.

Harden capped off with 24 points and 10 assists. Leonard scored 21 points, while PG added a modest 12. However, stealing the spotlight was Westbrook, achieving his season high with 23 points. In nothing short of a complete game, he notched up 9 rebounds and delivered 6 assists for all-around excellence.

Russell Westbrook claims to be amongst the best guards ever

During the post-game conference, a journalist reminded of his bold statements on media day Westbrook, with his son in his lap. Westbrook had previously proclaimed himself as the biggest and most athletic point guard in the league. As the reporter attempted to pose a question, Westbrook confidently doubled down on his sentiment, emphatically asserting himself multiple times by stating, “ever.”

Shifting ahead of Westbrook’s assertion of making life difficult for guards on defense, he faced questions about the prospect of guarding centers in the league. Undeterred and with his attention firmly on the team’s needs, Russell emphatically stated his readiness to defend every position on the floor.

He emphasized that his approach would involve leveraging his energy, effective communication, and leaving nothing behind on the court.

Westbrook thinks he can be an All-NBA defensive player

Despite never receiving any All-NBA defensive honors, Russell Westbrook is confident that he is among the best defenders in the league. In a statement made around their December matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, Westbrook declared, “Ain’t too many people defending better than me at this point if we keeping it honest.” While unable to pinpoint the reason for the lack of defensive accolades on his resume, Westbrook expressed a desire to secure recognition in the future.

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Not dwelling too much on the absence of awards, he quickly pivoted, emphasizing his commitment to disrupting offensive players to the best of his ability. Despite averaging just over 23 minutes per game this season, Westbrook has managed to average 1.1 steals and nearly 6 rebounds per game. Fully dedicated to his role, Westbrook leaves no doubt that he is more than willing to take on the challenge of guarding anyone he is asked to face.

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