LA CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 12, 2023

Russell Westbrook

Press Conference

Q. You ain't got your kicks yet?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: What you mean?

Q. Shoes.

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: What you mean do I got them?

Q. You just waiting on them?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: No, I got them. You're talking about my feet? I walk barefoot all the time. It's good for your feet, man, feel the earth, feel the soil. It's good for you, good energy for you.

Q. When did you pick up on that?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: I've been like this a long time. That's probably why my feet look the way they look. (Laughter).

Q. How are you feeling about this matchup after one day of practice?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: I feel good. You know, we're still figuring some things out and understanding how we want to play, but I feel great. Guys are in a good place. Just thinking about the Playoffs this series, so obviously there are going to be adjustments throughout the series, but get ready to lock in for Game 1.

Q. After watching some of the other games and things, what are some of the lessons learned from watching other playoff games that will help you as you get started?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: I think honestly, I don't watch much kind of what's going on, but I do think internally just for us, just understanding the small details, each possession, understanding time and score, especially on the road and limiting our mistakes and limit our self-inflicted wounds. Those are keys to me, especially on the road in the Playoffs.

Q. You got to enter a lot of postseason runs less than 100 percent, playing with injuries. How excited are you to enter this playoff run feeling good?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: I feel great. That's good, man, I'm actually blessed and very grateful for that. Fortunately years past it's been a lot of things happening, but like I've always -- I don't make any excuses, I compete the best way I know how to. But being able to be healthy, I'm truly grateful and blessed to do that.

Q. You obviously have a lot of playoff experience, and Ty Lue was mentioning how efficient the Phoenix Suns' iso is. From your personal experience, what is needed to face a team like that?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: I mean, it's tough, they've got a lot of great scorers on their team that put the ball in the basket at a very high level and been doing it for a very long time, between Kev, Book, CP, even T-Ross, a lot of guys that -- great isolation scorers. We've just got to do a good job of guarding and finding ways to help each other out.

Q. How much does your experience either competing with or playing with a lot of the guys in this series kind of help the team, help the coaching staff get ready for a series like this?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: Experience helps, just knowledge and understanding a playoff series and what that entails. It's just a part of -- something I can bring to the team of just understanding and learning throughout a playoff series, using my knowledge and experience to our advantage.

Q. You played against Chris when Chris was here with the Clippers and in the bubble. What did you pick up on the differences between how he plays in the Playoffs versus how he plays in the regular season?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: It depends. The series changes and his role changes. We'll kind of see what and how he kind of plays with the Suns.

Q. How have you seen Kevin's game grow since you guys were last together?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: Just his ability -- he's always been very efficient, but I think his ability to be more efficient and still score the ball at a high rate. He's probably one of the best scorers I've seen, just can score at ease and look so effortlessly. I think over the years, he's figured out ways to score the basketball at a very, very high rate, and that's kind of what I've seen over the years.

Q. What about him specifically as a help defender? They might use him, play him as a 5 sometimes. What have you seen from him as a help defender, rim protector?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: I haven't watched much defensive clips of KD, more offensive clips. But I'm pretty sure if he's on the weak side, he is seven feet, so you have to make sure you be aware of him. But I'm not sure how much there he has grown than in years past, but offensively I've that seen that for sure.

Q. What's it going to be like to face him in a seven-game series?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: Nothing. It'll be normal for me. There's no -- I see people think there's some beef or something. There's no beef of any sort. I think that's a good narrative for media, for people to talk about. But there's no beef what I got. I've got nothing but respect for him and things he's done with his career, and happy to see him back from injury. There's no beef at all. But he knows I'm going to compete, and I know he's going to compete, and that's all it is.

Q. Do you ever look back on your time with him and think what could have been? You guys did get to The Finals and it did look like it was just beginning.

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: Yeah, no, definitely, man. I think sit-down times will be like -- look at back in the day those series and kind of what could have been. Definitely, but not as much as I reflect on -- probably when I'm done playing I'll reflect on it a lot more.

Q. Paul's injury, obviously that opens up the need for more scoring. How does that change the way you're looking for your spots more so on the offensive end to score versus those first 10 or 11 games when you were playing as a trio with Kawhi?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: Yeah, I mean, it changes. I think I mentioned this earlier when I first got here, like my role and what I'm able to do on the court for the team changes, and it varies. Obviously now with PG out, that's 25, 30 points gone, and not just for myself but for the group of guys figuring out how to fill that void. Maybe there is nights where I score more. Maybe there's a night where somebody else scores more. I just think collectively my job is to make sure that we can fill that void as a team.

Q. When you joined the group, what were your expectations of what that experience would be like, and how have you seen that play out so far?

RUSSELL WESTBROOK: Honestly, no expectations of anything. I just wanted to come in and be myself, honestly, be myself, and they welcomed me with open arms and allowed that to happen, and I'm grateful and excited about this continued opportunity.