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- Patrick Beverley believes Lakers would make Western Conference Finals with his leadership
- Pelicans hilariously wish Lakers good luck in Tuesday’s NBA draft lottery
- Patrick Beverley tries to recruit LeBron James to Minnesota: ‘The taxes are much, much lower than L.A.’
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- LeBron James on who’d he want as teammate if going up against Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan: ‘Kobe, KD or Kyrie’
- Report: Lakers have been asking coaching candidates how they’d use Russell Westbrook
- Shaquille O’Neal calls himself and Kobe Bryant the only ‘superduo’ ever created
- Kevin Love on LeBron James’ final game: ‘I know he wants to have a Kobe-type exit where he scores 60 and does his thing’
- Robert Horry calls Damian Lillard the best clutch shooter ever over Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant
Report: Lakers players would provoke Russell Westbrook in order to ‘fuel that monster’ and give him an ‘enemy’
- Updated: April 8, 2022

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook has struggled in his first season in Los Angeles, but his teammates reportedly tried to provoke him in order to get him to play better this season.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, while the Lakers’ coaching staff was direct in its discussions with Westbrook, his teammates tried to give him some extra motivation to take his game to the next level.
“There’s also guys in the locker room who were so disgruntled about their position that every time something goes bad for Russ, they just find a way to feed the beast,” a team source told Shelburne.
“Telling him the coaches hate you or the front office is trying to get rid of you. Anything to fuel that monster, and give him an enemy.”
Despite the different tactics, Westbrook has not been able to find his best form in Los Angeles. The former MVP is averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game this season while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 29.8 percent from beyond the arc.
The Lakers have already been eliminated from playoff contention this season, and there’s no doubt that the team’s lack of success has been deemed a failure by the franchise and its fans.
Westbrook was traded to the Lakers during the 2021 offseason. While the Lakers surely thought that he would be able to carry the team at times, the nine-time All-Star hasn’t really found a solid role within Los Angeles’ roster.
His teammates may have tried to find a reason to make him play with more of a chip on his shoulder, but the team ultimately never put things together this season.
Westbrook and the Lakers are set to face a tough offseason as they try to find a solution that works for both sides.