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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

The Los Angeles Lakers are finally able to turn things around. After winning their second game in a row, the Lakers can start to breathe a sigh of relief. The Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 120-117 in an overtime thriller. The game was almost over but a fadeaway three-point buzzer-beater by Matt Ryan helped the Lakers stay in the game and eventually take down the Pelicans in OT. And Russell Westbrook was brought off the bench.

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The Pelicans were a bit short-handed as Brandon Ingram did not end up playing against the Lakers. The Lakers too ran a small lineup, only playing nine players for the game.?

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Russell Westbrook with a breath of fresh air

For a change, Westbrook had a healthy game against the Pelicans. In the 25 minutes he played, Westbrook had 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists, shooting 6-10 from the field. And based on the past performances he has put up, this was definitely an improvement.

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USA Today via Reuters

However, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has had some other goals in mind for Westbrook. He said that one of his goals is to get Russell Westbrook into the ?Sixth Man of the Year? conversation.

Read More – NBA Fans Want Russell Westbrook ?Arrested? After ?Terrible Decision? During Lakers vs Timberwolves

And fans were quick to slam him online for his goals. One fan tweeted, ?By not playing him when it matters??? Referring to how Westbrook wasn?t in the game in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime.

Here are some of the reactions from NBA Twitter:

The fanbase seems to be split in half, with some fans revolting against Ham?s decision to choose Patrick Beverly over Russell Westbrook. Whereas there are some fans who are praising Ham for this move.

Westbrook may lead the second unit

Since the disappointing loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, Westbrook has been coming off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers. And it may have taken him a while to get used to it, it finally seems as if Westbrook is making it work.

Watch This Story – 5 games that prove that the Russell Westbrook criticism is not fair

For Westbrook to lead the team?s second unit, he will have to be more careful with his shot selection. Russ can clearly spot the open man on the floor but it is his shot selection that has been criticized lately.?

What do you think of Darvin Ham’s tactics? Let us know in the comments below.?

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Abhishek Dhariwal

1,425 Articles

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best” - Tim Duncan said this once, and I took it as a sign to keep working on myself, without fail! Being a basketball player all my life, it was natural for me to eventually become an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Being a Spurs fan, I fell in love with Duncan and McGrady for making me the fan I am today. Their dedication to their field inspired me to never give up, despite my knee surgeries. Today, as an NBA writer, I get to share my unique perspectives with the world. The fact that I actually get to write about the things that I love, especially while getting to watch them live, it something I love about my job. With San Antonio landing a cornerstone for their franchise in Wembanyama, make sure you are paying close attention to Spurs-based pieces. When I am not knee-deep into all things basketball, I am gaming. I love PUBG, NBA2K and Forza Horizon. Want to have a spirited debate on my articles? Hit me up on the links below.

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Veer Badani

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