“It’s going to be a playoff-type atmosphere for us” - Russell Westbrook builds the hype ahead of LA Lakers clash with fellow Play-In hopefuls Pelicans

Russell Westbrook believes LA Lakers' next match against the New Orleans Pelicans will have a 'playoff-type atmosphere' for his team. The Lakers and Pelicans are seeded ninth and tenth in the Western Conference standings, respectively.

New Orleans are only 0.5 games behind LA, and their clash on Sunday could be a preview of a ninth v tenth seed play-in tournament game.

The Purple and Gold suffered their 42nd loss of the season against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday to go back to 11 games below the .500 mark. They now face a legitimate possibility of falling out of play-in tournament contention altogether as the 11th placed San Antonio Spurs are only two games behind them.

Westbrook seems prepared for this challenge and has labeled the Lakers' next match against the Pelicans as a must-win tie. Here's what he said after the team's 121-126 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers (via Spectrum SportsNet):

"It's a game that we definitely want to win. I think if we have our mindset in the right place and then do what we've been doing, playing proper basketball, I think we put ourselves in position to win the game. It's going to be a playoff-type of atmosphere for us because definitely it's a must-win I believe for our group."

Russell Westbrook solid for LA Lakers down the stretch

Russell Westbrook's first year with the LA Lakers hasn't gone according to plan. The former league MVP is averaging 18.1 points per game on a 43/29/66 shooting split. The 33-year-old has been heavily scrutinized for not being able to adapt to playing alongside superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Over the last few games, Westbrook seems to have turned things around with regards to his individual performance. He has averaged 22 points, 8/5 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game across his last four outings. That has also led to the Lakers looking much better compared to how they've been for most of the 2021-22 NBA season.

The LA Lakers need this version of Russell Westbrook. His shooting efficiency, playmaking and rebounding have proved to be vital during this recent four-game stretch. If he can continue to impact games at this rate, LA could have a legitimate shot at making some noise in the postseason.

With Westbrook terming the Lakers' next game against the Pelicans as a must-win and a playoff-type contest, it will be interesting to see if he can carry his solid form into that match and prove to be decisive in the eventual scheme of things.