The Russell Westbrook situation has reached (and surpassed) critical mass with the Lakers and it’s barely been a week into the regular season. Each game has served as a referendum on him, and questions postgame are spent on how he played and the decisions he made.
Regardless of what his future may hold at this point, what the Lakers can not continue doing is closing games with him on the floor. Clippers head coach Ty Lue laid the groundwork for how to defend him and the Blazers full exposed that as part of their late comeback on Sunday.