Lakers HC Darvin Ham on Russell Westbrook's Benching: 'We Don't Have Time for Feelings'

Point guard Russell Westbrook is again at center stage amid the Los Angeles Lakers’ struggles.

Westbrook was benched for the final three possessions of Sunday’s 106-104 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers – a game which dropped the Lakers to 0-3 on the young season. The 33-year-old shot 4-of-15 from the field, finishing with ten points, six rebounds, and six assists.

Asked about any possible repercussions from Westbrook’s benching, head coach Darvin Ham had this to say:

“We don’t have time for feelings or people being in their feelings. Like, we’re trying to turn things around. For one person to be in their feelings about when and where and how they should be in the game, I don’t have any time for that.”

Ham was critical of Westbrook’s shot selection, particularly late in the game when he settled for a 15-foot jumper. This despite being defended by Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, who was playing with five fouls.

“I just wish we would’ve attacked the rim directly,” said Ham. “That’s the one shot that teams want you to take and want to give up — long twos, contested twos, what have you. And with his ability to explode and get to the basket still being at a high level, I wish he would’ve did that.”

The Lakers will look to earn their first victory of the season Wednesday when they travel to Denver to battle the Nuggets.

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