Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook have been rivals for quite a while now. The two had some pretty epic battles when Westbrook was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and for a while there, it looked like they didn't like each other very much. However, in an appearance on Shannon Sharpe's "Club Shay Shay," it became apparent that Lillard actually has a ton of respect for the Los Angeles Lakers point guard.
As many are already aware, Westbrook has been through the wringer this year in terms of criticism. With that in mind, Sharpe asked Lillard how Westbrook should handle the noise. That's when Lillard gave his take on the situation, all while offering up some high praise to his rival.
"Face the music & just deal with it, it’s gonna happen. Russell Westbrook's career and legacy is undeniable," Lillard said. "If I tried to go every game and get a triple-double for a whole season, I can't do it."
It's clear that fans and players around the league know what Russ is capable of, and that is why this season feels like such a huge anomaly. With just a few games left in the season, Russ doesn't have much time to change the narrative. Hopefully, however, he can at least help get the Lakers into the postseason.
You can see Sharpe's entire interview with Russ, below.