Lakers’ Russell Westbrook: ‘I’m Not Used to People Cheering for Me on the Road’

Photos by Darren Carroll/NBAE via Getty Images

Russell Westbrook had his first experience on the road as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, and it seemed to make an impression on the point guard.

“I’m not used to people cheering for me on the road,” he told reporters after helping lead his team to a 125-121 overtime victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. “But, you know, that’s a different experience for me, which is good. Laker fans all across the world, which is an amazing feeling.”

There were plenty of fans dressed in Purple and Gold at AT&T Center, and they made their presence felt throughout the game’s biggest moments.

Perhaps that helped spur Westbrook on to his best performance in the early season with the Lakers. The nine-time All-Star finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals as part of a dynamic one-two punch with Anthony Davis.

Davis tallied 35 points, 17 rebounds, four blocks and four assists, which was made all the more necessary by LeBron James’ absence.

Westbrook averaged just 12.0 points and 5.7 turnovers per game while shooting 34.9 percent from the field and 9.1 percent from three-point range in the first three games of the season. The version on display Tuesday was much more in line with the two-time scoring champion who took home the 2016-17 league MVP.

The UCLA product spent his first 11 seasons on the Oklahoma City Thunder before playing the 2019-20 one for the Houston Rockets and the 2020-21 campaign for the Washington Wizards.

While those three teams surely have passionate supporters, they can’t match the sheer number of Lakers fans in different cities. That is what happens when a franchise wins 17 championships with players such as Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, James and many more legends.

That also means more fans on the road, as Westbrook experienced in San Antonio.

He will surely draw plenty of cheers on the road during the Lakers’ next game when they travel to take on his former Thunder team on Wednesday.