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Russell Westbrook was the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2017. Those were the years that pushed Westbrook to the NBA stratosphere. Having three straight triple-double seasons is a record only Westbrook possesses.

Westbrook has played for the Oklahoma City Thunder who drafted him and then for the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, and Los Angeles Lakers in subsequent years. Everywhere, he was either the focal point or maximum the second most important player. But with the Los Angeles Clippers this season, he has fallen to number 4 and is on the bench.

For a player of his level, this would have shattered his ego and he could have demanded a trade. But he has stayed put. While speaking with AllClippers he speaks about this;

I’ve been in the league so long, I understand the definition of true sacrifice and understanding what that looks like. Sometimes it might not be how you want it, but if it’s for the betterment of the team, that’s the most important part. This is a team game, and I know the most important goal - that’s to win a championship.

Westbrook seems to have embraced the bench role. He has been the energy and hustle off the bench that keeps the Clippers in the hunt every game.

After the James Harden trade from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Los Angeles Clippers, the big 4 were supposed to be playing together. But head coach Tyronn Lue decided to put Russell Westbrook in charge of the second unit after 4 straight losses.

After splitting the Harden/Westbrook lineup the Clippers have gone on to win a league-best 7 games in a row. Currently, the Clippers sit above the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference.

For a career averaging 22.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.4 assists, Westbrook’s numbers have fallen sharply after his demotion to the bench. This season he is averaging 11.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists. A far cry from the former triple-double champion. But what matters most for the Clippers is the energy and hustle Westbrook brings off the bench.

Westbrook is playing in the James Harden system

Russell Westbrook already has played alongside James Harden during their time in Houston. But, this time it is a different situation. Westbrook playing alongside Harden does not bring the best out of both players. That is what the 4 straight losses showed. Harden is now the starting point guard, handing out assists and scoring. That is the James Harden system that Westbrook and the Clippers had to adjust to.

Westbrook does not play well without the ball in his hands. It was the biggest criticism during his time with the Lakers. Now, with Harden running point as a starter, shifting Westbrook to handle point guard duties for the second unit seems to have produced the best results out of both players. The logjam in the backcourt earlier that contributed to the losses has turned into wins with both playing free.

The Clippers have proved their mettle with wins against the defending champions Denver Nuggets, the streaking Sacramento Kings, and the Golden State Warriors. When many analysts wrote them off after trading for Harden, it seemed a change in the game plan, and the sacrifices from Westbrook have fixed their issues.

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