Russell Westbrook Inexplicably Benched In 4th Quarter

Mon, February 27, 2023 at 11:25 AM

Russell Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz recently where he was eventually bought out. Subsequently, Russ went to the Los Angeles Clippers where he will get to engage in some playoff basketball. In his first game with the Clippers, the team engaged in a classic shootout with the Sacramento Kings. Although they lost by a score of 176-175, there is no doubt that Russ was great in the match. The Clippers appear to be a much better fit for Russ, and you can tell that he is already much happier.

Last night, the Clippers took on the Denver Nuggets, who are the top team in the Western Conference. Overall, Russ had another great game as he had a total of 17 points after three quarters. However, Russ was inexplicably left on the bench for the entire fourth quarter. Moreover, once the game went to overtime, he didn't see any minutes there either. What makes this decision so interesting is the fact that Russ had done nothing wrong. He was great during the game, and the Clippers could have won with him in the lineup.

Russell Westbrook Benched

Russell Westbrook had the 2nd best +/- on the Clippers starting lineup last night.
He played 0 minutes in 4th Quarter and OT vs Nuggets. pic.twitter.com/XDoXUxj57Q
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) February 27, 2023

Consequently, Ty Lue was questioned about his decision following the game. For Lue, it was simply a matter of momentum. He felt as though the lineup that finished the game was gaining steam and he didn't want to mess up the chemistry. Overall, his decision turned out to be a bad one as the Clippers lost yet another game. It also elicited a ton of comments from fans on social media. For the most part, fans are upset, and they want Russ to get a fair shake on his new team.

"Minutes limited Paul George played 36 minutes tonight. Russell Westbrook played 25 minutes...didn't play in the 4th quarter or overtime. No injury news given. Tyronn Lue is a suspect and I hope you're searching your name to see this," One user wrote. Many other comments were very similar to this, as they could not believe Ty Lue's decision-making. Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the sports world.

Twitter Reacts

Russell Westbrook : 17 points on 6-10 shooting, 1-2 from 3, 4-4 from the FT line, 5 rebounds, 4 assists & 5 steals in 25 minutes (Didn't play in the 4th quarter or OT) pic.twitter.com/u0yvqDgYoQ
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) February 27, 2023