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Russell Westbrook will play for his hometown franchise, the LA Lakers, in the upcoming NBA season. The California native is expected to receive a buzzing welcome when he steps out at the Staples Center in the Purple and Gold outfit for the first time in his career.
The Lakersnation will hope that Russell Westbrook amplifies the energy in the arena with a series of explosive performances. He has recorded plenty of staggering outings at the venue against the Lakers in his career. The 2017 MVP has played 18 games against the Lakers at the Staples Center.
On that note, here's a look at Russell Westbrook's five best performances at the Staples Center against the LA Lakers so far.
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#5 Houston Rockets vs LA Lakers - 2020
Russell Westbrook played for the Houston Rockets in the 2019-20 NBA season. He paired up alongside James Harden to help the H-Town emerge as one of the strongest competitors against the LA Lakers that campaign. The two teams also faced off during the NBA Playoffs in the second round. The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, steamrolled past the Rockets, winning 4-1.
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The Rockets may not have troubled the Purple and Gold much during the postseason. But that wasn't the case during the regular season. Russell Westbrook and Co. had a 2-1 advantage in that period. Westbrook was responsible for one of the wins that came at the Staples Center in February 2020.
He scored 41 points, eight rebounds and five assists to lead the Rockets to a 121-111 win. He also shot 60.8% from the floor. Westbrook's performance was key for the team as James Harden endured a tough night at the offensive end. Harden had just 14 points on three-of-ten shooting.
#4 OKC Thunder vs LA Lakers - 2012
Russell Westbrook and the OKC Thunder developed into one of the best teams in the Western Conference during the early 2010s. One of their biggest challenges was to dethrone teams like the LA Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.
They could do that, as Westbrook had one of his best performances at the Staples Center during the 2011-12 season. He scored 36 points, five assists and two steals to lead his team to a 102-93 win against Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers.
Westbrook shot 48.1% from the floor, and missed just one of his ten free throw attempts. He also had just one turnover as he put up one of his most disciplined showings ever.
The OKC Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks, LA Lakers and San Antonio Spurs to reach the NBA Finals that year.
Also Read: Who is Russell Westbrook’s wife, Nina Earl?
#3 OKC Thunder vs LA Lakers - 2016
The OKC Thunder, led by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, were one of the most dominant teams in the West in the mid-2010s.
2016 was one of their best years since their NBA Finals appearance in 2012. Westbrook was on a roll in the 2015-16 season. He was voted into the All-NBA first team. He averaged 23.8 points, 10.5 assists and 7.8 rebounds per contest that campaign.
Westbrook produced one of his best performances against the LA Lakers in a regular-season matchup that year. He scored 36 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, leading his team to a 117-113 win. He shot 13 of 16 from the free-throw line.
#2 OKC Thunder vs LA Lakers - 2014
Russell Westbrook had one of his toughest games at the Staples Center against the LA Lakers in 2014.
The OKC Thunder were without reigning MVP Kevin Durant, and were under immense pressure to win the game. They had slipped to a 12-14 record to start the 2013-14 season. Westbrook took matters into his own hands, single-handedly delivered a win for his side.
He scored 31 points, dished out ten assists and claimed five boards to lead his team to a 104-103 win on the road. He made all 13 of his free throws, and was very disciplined with the ball, committing just one turnover all night.
#1 OKC Thunder vs LA Lakers - 2011
Russell Westbrook's best performance against the LA Lakers came in 2011. He was just 22 years old at the time.
The Lakers were the reigning champions heading into the 2010-11 season. That did not faze Westbrook much. He tallied 32 points, 12 assists and five rebounds to go along with two steals and a block in one of the regular-season games between the OKC Thunder and the LA Lakers.
Westbrook shot 52.2% from the floor. His 32 points were a game-high in a matchup that featured lethal scorers like Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant. The Thunder did not win that game, though, losing 94-101 on the night.
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