Ranking Russell Westbrook's 5 best performances at Staples Center in the NBA

Modified Nov 08, 2022 11:44 GMT

#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.

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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.

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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.

About the author

Arhaan Raje is an Assistant Content Manager and Senior Writer with Sportskeeda's NBA/WNBA team with four years of experience.

Arhaan focuses on features, trends, listicles, and the latest rumors and reports circling the league's top teams and players. He emphasizes detailed research to create impactful content for readers. A fan of Xs and Os, Arhaan provides technical deep dives in his reporting.

Arhaan completed his bachelor's degree in BBA in Media and Entertainment Management from Mumbai, India.

Arhaan admires the killer mentality of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. He respects LeBron James for being a role model on and off the court. The bold and decisive Gregg Popovich stands out as Arhaan's favorite basketball coach. LeBron's epic chase-down block in the 2016 NBA Finals has a special place in Arhaan's basketball memories.

He has interviewed Ronnie 2K, the face of NBA2k and Marketing Director.

Sports isn't the only passion he has pursued professionally. Arhaan is also into performing arts in the music industry as a percussionist.

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Edited by Bhargav