Dirty Harry once said, “A man’s gotta know his limitations.” Russell Westbrook seems to agree with that assertion.
The new Los Angeles Lakers guard spoke with reporters following Tuesday’s preseason loss to the Golden State Warriors. Westbrook was asked about the NBA’s new foul rules that will stop rewarding shooters for initiating contact with airborne defenders. The former MVP responded with a funny joke about his well-documented shooting struggles.
“Not for me,” he said of how hard it will be to adjust to the new rules, per Lakers Nation. “Ain’t too many people flying at me so I’ll be alright.”
Westbrook has a point in that not many defenders are going to be biting on pump fakes from a career 30.5 percent three-point shooter. In fact, most opponents are happy to go under screens and dare him to fire. Westbrook’s three-point numbers in the preseason haven’t been great either. He has started his Lakers career shooting just 5-for-20 (25 percent) from deep.
The league’s rule change will create a noticeable difference in the flow of the game and the way that ball-handlers attack defenses. But it will probably have a bigger impact on elite shooters like this guy than on brick house builders like Westbrook.
Photo: Oct 6, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook prior to the preseason game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
