Russell Westbrook blames Joel Embiid for snafu in Lakers loss

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For the second atrocious loss in a row, the Los Angeles Lakers took umbrage with the refereeing on a potentially winning play.

On Thursday, LeBron James expressed his displeasure with the referees’ performance in the Lakers’ double overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks. (The NBA acknowledged that LeBron was fouled on a last-second layup attempt, but stood by the no-call he was vocally angered on Troy’s 3-pointer. Brown Jr. at the end of the settlement). After Sunday’s 113-112 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at Crypto.com Arena, Russell Westbrook blamed a no-call on Joel Embiid for a missed final possession.

After a triple from Brown cut the Sixers lead to one, Westbrook held on a switch on Embiid, which resulted in a crossfade. Russ secured the rebound, then, sensing a cross game, quickly pushed the ball up and never really considered giving it up.

Darvin Ham opted not to call either of his two remaining timeouts, and the inert Lakers watched Westbrook attempt to take Embiid iso, even after losing the handle. No dice. Game over.

The last possessions of the Sixers-Lakers. Embiid misses Westbrook then Russ unsuccessfully tries to take Joel to the other end. The Lakers had 2 timeouts and LeBron was untouched. pic.twitter.com/WE69XZt2NT

Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) January 16, 2023

Westbrook (and LeBron) declined to hold an official press conference after the game, although the two briefly took questions in the locker room. Westbrook showed reporters a screenshot of Embiid holding his arm.

I was trying to attack them and get to the basket, Russ explained. It’s unfortunate, but he grabbed my wrist. I couldn’t lift the ball. But everything is fine. I know the game didn’t stop at the last shot.

Embiid, unsurprisingly, disagreed with Westbrooks’ assessment.

I don’t think I messed it up. He was unlucky because he lost the ball. I would say he was unlucky.

pic.twitter.com/9gRNpShTOE

ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 16, 2023

Westbrook will be vindicated by the league’s latest 2-minute report when it’s released on Monday (the Lakers-Mavs’ L2M cited seven missed calls in the streak), but the approach to the final game was disconcerting nonetheless. To use his famous catchphrase, why not immediately look for LeBron, who was masterful all night (35/10/8)? Why not swing the ball after losing dribble and momentum? And for the whole team, including Ham: Why not call a timeout?

No, not really, Ham replied when asked if he was thinking of calling the time. Down below, one of our best edge finishers has the ball with Embiid standing in front of him. I will take this scenario every day of the week and twice on Sundays. We just need to finish the play. If I call a timeout and draw something, maybe they’re making replacements, maybe they’re plotting a little better.

I trust my player. And that won’t change.

Ham genuinely believes in Westbrook, although he could also throw his arm around a sensitive player’s shoulder. Russ, who hates being benched in critical time, which still happens from time to time, could have taken a time out as a sign that his team doesn’t trust him to make a clutch play.

On a positive note, Westbrook was mostly brilliant for 33 of his 34 minutes against the 76ers. So goes the Russell Westbrook experience, as it has for 15 years.

The Lakers lost several games due to a critical time execution failure. Westbrook for all his production off the bench, including a record triple-double on 14/20/11 against Philly is often to blame, usually due to his insistence on picking up the pace rather than setting up deliberate possession. (Early on, the Lakers repeatedly lamented late-game decision-making in postgame remarks, usually implicating Russ without explicitly naming him.) One memorable example came in an avoidable loss to the Lakers. Portland Trail Blazers, when Westbrook forced a 2-for-1 transition jumper, even though the Lakers had the lead.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ reaction to Russell Westbrook’s masonry shot in the closing seconds for the Blazers-Lakers pic.twitter.com/tyPKcdoJRD

ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) October 24, 2022

It’s just frustrating, said LeBron, who became the second player to reach 38,000 career points on Sunday. Getting into these positions and not being able to come out with victory.

Played good basketball. Were just not winning games.

Los Angeles is 9-11 in critical games, according to NBA.com, with a clean bottom-10 rating. It’s not about Russ or the referees in general.

We just have to be better, we have to be better finishing the game, Ham said on Sunday.

The Lakers (19-24) will have an immediate opportunity to end their three-game losing streak on Monday against the 10-game losing streak Houston Rockets.

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