4:03 AM
According to sources, Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel was given assurances that the organization would support him in taking a hard line while coaching the star.
According to sources, the Lakers management has told the coaching staff to coach Westbrook as they see fit, even if that means pulling him from a game, as they did for the final 3 minutes, 52 seconds of the fourth quarter against Indiana.
Management told the staff to do what they were told, according to a source close to the situation.
With L.A. trailing 101-94, Vogel put in Monk for Westbrook, who was 5-for-17 from the field.
On the defensive end, he failed to execute. The staff was forced to honor their instinct to bench him after Caris LeVert blew by him for a layup with 7 minutes, 13 seconds remaining.
The coaching staff had emphasized the scouting report to take away LeVert's right hand, and Westbrook didn't angle himself properly to stop the drive, allowing LeVert easy access to the paint.
The normally measured Vogel responded with a matter-of-fact edge when asked what was behind his decision to bench Westbrook.
He thought the guys he was playing were going to win the game.
According to various reports, the job of L.A.'s coach has been in jeopardy since the team was destroyed by 37 points by the Denver Nuggets over the weekend.
Sources said that the coaching staff had been debating whether to pull Westbrook from late-game situations for weeks, but always refrained because of concerns about his mental health.
Even though he danced around the subject of the benching of the former league Most Valuable Player, James didn't want to draw attention to the plight of the man.
He answered the reporter's question with a question, rather than giving a straight answer.
The 14-year veteran who exited the court with 8.4 seconds remaining on the clock left the arena without speaking to reporters.
Sources said that by the time his teammates were done showering, he had already left the locker room.
"I don't think it's anything personal, I can relate to it, having done it myself a few years back," said Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony, who recently said that he can relate to the role adjustment Westbrook is going through this season, having done it himself a few years He's not used to it. You would think someone like that would be on the court. There have been times when I haven't been in the game or other guys haven't been in the game. I don't think it's personal.
Not personal, but critical. The Lakers, who are about to embark on a six-game road trip and sitting at No. 8 in the Western Conference, can't afford to lose any more time focusing on the team's chance at success.
Anthony said that Russ has to figure it out.
It's frustrating. He said that he could tell you that. It's frustrating as a player who is trying to do the right thing. This is something new for him. This is a new situation. This is a new place. We have to help him through it. We can only make sure his mental is right, that's the only thing we can do. I only care about that. When it comes to Russ, I don't care about basketball.
I'm good if his mental is right.
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