Throughout the years of the league, few teams have been able to successfully win the championship in the first year of the formation of the Big Three. As strong as the Heat, Cavaliers and Nets last season, they all failed to win the O'Brien Cup in their first year in the army.
So when the Lakers traded Westbrook from the Wizards in this offseason, the outside world was not optimistic about their prospects. After all, the triple-double king, when he switched from the Rockets to the Wizards last season, it took nearly half a season to integrate into the team.
What's more, this time it is the Lakers who pay more attention to the present and want to rush the crown. Sure enough, in the preseason, Wei Shao was seriously dissatisfied, averaging only 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5 assists per game, and 5.8 turnovers were even more than rebounds and assists.
Such a performance is indeed worthy of the word "giant". After officially entering the regular season of the season, Westbrook's performance is also very difficult. In those seven games in October 2021, he averaged just 18.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game.
Meanwhile, Westbrook's three-point shooting percentage is as low as 25 percent. The problem of too many mistakes has not been effectively solved, and the average number of mistakes per game is as high as 5.1 times, which has become a major hidden danger in the Lakers' game.
Because of the delay in playing a chemical reaction with the team, it was reported that the Lakers began to discuss the relevant transactions with Westbrook not long ago. Shortly after this news was exposed, Wei Shao also responded strongly to this.
In the recent Lakers' away game against the Lone Rangers, even if the opponent's main core Doncic is absent, the Lakers have played extremely bumpy. In the end, it was only thanks to a fairy three-pointer from Ellington that he could barely make it into overtime.
In extra time, Westbrook's mind was unusually clear. With more than 40 seconds left in the game, he first hit a three-pointer in the bottom left corner of the thousands of dollars, and then in the final round, he broke through the points to rookie Reeves, assisting the latter to hit a deadly three-pointer.
In the end, the Lakers won a thrilling victory 107-104. Throughout the game, Wei Shao cut 23 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists, although the data is not too bright, but if it is not his attack and pass at key moments, then the Lakers may be really fierce.
In fact, after Wei Shao hit the key three-pointer, as the lakers' star, James deliberately stepped forward and gave Wei Shao a deep hug, and responded to the rumors about trading Wei Shao with practical actions.
Of course, the reason why Wei Shao can have such a magical performance at a critical moment is actually not accidental. Back in the wizards last season, Westbrook was the league's famous "Mr. Key." This is something that many people have not paid attention to.
According to relevant statistics, last season, Westbrook scored a total of 105 points at key moments, ranking fifth in the league. The 59.1% shooting percentage and 65.9% effective shooting rate in key moments are even more impressive in the league.
At the same time, even the three-point shooting rate that is not good at it, Westbrook can reach 40.9%. Therefore, joining the Lakers this time, being able to play an excellent performance in the last quarter is really a "routine operation" and does not feel strange.
Joining the Lakers this season, Wei Shao's goal is to win the first championship trophy of his career. The Lakers are no better than the Thunder, Rockets, and Wizards who played before, and in the case of sitting on the two superstars of James and Davis, Westbrook is bound to make changes.
However, for such a player who has maintained a big package of ball play for the past 13 years, it is not easy to correct it for a while and a half. But for the sake of the team, Wei Shao is also trying to integrate himself into this new Lakers.
Of course, James, the big brother, is also actively helping Wei Shao adapt. He knows that both of them need to hold the ball for a long time, so he has also chosen more this season to play without the ball, and let Westbrook handle the ball more.
Before this game with the Lone Ranger, the US media posted the relevant data of James's three-point reception this season. This season, James has 18.4 percent of his three-point shots, all "catch the ball and shoot," and the shooting rate is as high as 40 percent.
It is worth mentioning that 39% of these shots are passed by Westbrook. In order to make Westbrook himself, James actually made himself a no-ball shooter. I have to say that this may be the adaptability of the super giant!
In the case of James' absence not long ago, if it were not for the two people who supported the whole team there with Wei Shao and Thick Eyebrows, then the Lakers would probably stage the familiar "digging holes and filling holes" plot last season.
Throughout the November game, Westbrook boosted his score to 21.8. Plus, 8 rebounds and 8.5 assists are still online. Even the three-point shooting rate is 7.9 percentage points higher than in October.
In order to make himself more compatible with his teammates, Wei Shao often chooses to pass the ball to his teammates who have a better chance even if he is in an empty position. However, the Lakers' outside shooters are in hibernation, which also buries The chance of assisting a lot of Westbrook.
After James returned from injury, Westbrook also handed over a lot of ball possession. Since December, Westbrook's average of shots per game has plummeted to 12.8, and his personal data has slipped to 15.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 8 assists.
However, 48.1 percent shooting and 42.9 percent three-point shooting, plus plus a plus-minus of +3, are Westbrook's best form in the three months this season. It can be seen that Wei Shao is trying to integrate himself into the Lakers' tactical system.
Although the outside world often throws all the guilt of the Lakers' loss on Wei Shao's head, the data will not lie. In the few sets of combinations that the Lakers have won the most this season, Wei Shao's name is listed among them.
Among them, the five-man group led by Melon, Westbrook, Thick Eyebrow, Munch and Reeves has achieved a total of 7 wins and 2 losses this season, which is the Lakers' current highest winning percentage. In this lineup, Westbrook enjoys absolute dominance of the ball.
Thick eyebrows, melon town to guard the box, and then let Munch, Reeves and Westbrook be partners on the outside, so that Westbrook fully felt the pleasure of victory last season at the Wizards. It was the connection between Westbrook and Reeves that allowed the Lakers to kill the Lone Ranger.
With the re-aggregation of the big three, the Lakers have also ushered in a recent recovery. But heaven seems to really want to give this giant a great test, many of the Lakers' main players have triggered the league's health and safety agreement in the near future, and Wei Shao has not been spared.
At present, the Lakers are temporarily ranked 6th in the West with a record of 16 wins and 13 losses, and they are only 2 wins away from the 4th Grizzlies. But just played a chemical reaction with the Lakers, and then faced the dilemma of being absent, Wei Shao's fate is really bumpy!
However, given that Munch has only missed 1 game, as long as Westbrook is not a covid-19 positive, then he should return soon. At that time, he will also prove himself with practical actions, whether he should be traded by the team!