Prior to the opening night of the NBA season, Russell Westbrook was asked to start on the bench in a preseason game. This took place against the Sacramento Kings, and unfortunately for the Lakers, it didn't actually help them as they still managed to lose by close to 50 points.
Last night, the Lakers had their first game of the season, and Russ was in his usual spot. He actually played quite well throughout the game, notching 19 points and 11 rebounds. It was a solid start to the season that did nothing to help the Lakers beat the defending champs. Instead, the Lakers fell by a score of 123-109.
After the game, Russ was asked an interesting question about his hamstring injury against Sacramento just last week. Reporter Dan Woike asked if coming off the bench could have led to the injury. Surprisingly, Russ was extremely honest about the situation, saying "absolutely."
Russ noted that coming off the bench is hard for him as he can't get into his usual rhythm. In his eyes, this could potentially explain why he may have tweaked something.
It's certainly an interesting admission that just goes to show that Russ wants to be part of the starting lineup. He has never had to be a bench player in his career, and he is adjusting to the potential realities of the situation.
