The urge of an NBA player to get their hands on the glory of the tournament helps him drive past all the obstacles. At times, this tunnel vision may also cause certain athletes to fall flat on their faces. Something similar happened to Russell Westbrook during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, as they failed to meet the expectations.
Recently, Patrick Beverley shared his thoughts on the treatment Russell received. As a former teammate, his opinion held a lot of value, as his views provided insights into the matter.
Was Russell Westbrook unfairly targeted?
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Patrick was asked the same question in the season finale of Gil’s Arena. The former Houston Rockets point guard confidently replied, “No”.?He indicated that the fans did not target him unnecessarily, stating, “In this world, you get out what you put in”.?
According to Pat, people had certain hopes for the former MVP because of his greatness. He added, “If he didn’t have triple-double Russ phase, they would not critique him that much”.?So, in a way, the former Laker respected the game of his former teammate but expressed only what she saw happening.
The duo shared a tough history as they got into on-court brawls time and again in the past. They decided to move past that when they became teammates in 2022. As they both have crossed that phase, one question lingers.
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What does the future hold for both?
Russell moved to the opposite side of LA once he joined the Los Angeles Clippers in 2023. Since then, he has been averaging his career-best field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. The off-court pressure around him has also claimed down. Serving as a key cog in the system, he has found his feet well.
As for Pat, he would gear up for the Philadelphia 76ers for the upcoming season. Walking into the franchise in their time of turmoil, his future would be one to watch out for.
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Both the stars are past their time with the Lakers and the beef they once shared. Beverley’s words remind us of the potential downside that comes with rising too quickly. The spiral that takes human beings closer to their dreams also can put them in front of their unwanted misery. In short, a top athlete must always roll with the punches. Figuratively.
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