LeBron James Says the Lakers' Final 23 Games are "Critical", and Russell Westbrook to Join the Clippers!

The weekend's All Star Game was, by most reviews, a shammockery of a basketball game. Even by exhibition standards, there was no defense, or any real interest in playing something that could be recognized as an NBA type game.

But at least nobody got hurt, even though for a minute, it looked like LeBron James might have done the unthinkable, suffering some sort of hand injury in the first half of Sunday's game. But based on his behavior once he was out of the game (which included a lot of aggressive high fives and fist bumps with what people thought might be a banged up right hand), Denver coach Micheal Malone's postgame comments (nobody got hurt) and James's own words, it seems like he was just fine, and everyone settled on a predicate for LeBron to sit the second half.

All good. After, though, James talked about the final 23 games of the regular season, calling them among the most important regular season games he's played throughout a career that has seen A LOT of important regular season games. James said he doesn't abide the idea of missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons, and interestingly focused on his ability to be on the floor. He pledged to play all 23 games. Not that he would raise his level or something (I think he believes high level performance is a given) but that he would be available. Because at this point of his career, availability is the big question mark. And that's new, relative to the rest of his career. For James to acknowledge it is interesting.

And what about Russell Westbrook? If Lakers fans could have sent him anywhere following a buyout from the Jazz (after, of course, the Lakers were able to finally trade the guy), they'd have picked the Clippers. Why? Because Lakers fans by and large (fair or not) believe that Westbrook will destroy whatever he touches, and would prefer that the thing he touches and destroys be the team's cross-arena rivals.

But will he? Is there a way things could work better for Russ in red, white and blue than they did in purple and gold? What would be the reaction if things just take off? And are the Clippers the Western Conference team for whom it actually does kinda make sense to get into the Russ business?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: LeBron scared the heck out of Lakers fans, but all seems to be well.

SEGMENT 2: LeBron says the last 23 games of the regular season are as important as any he's played as a pro.

SEGMENT 3: Russ to the Clippers. It's what Lakers fans wanted!

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