2. LA Clippers need Russell Westbrook
Harden may be the team's primary playmaker. Still, every team needs a secondary playmaker. For the Clippers, that player is Russell Westbrook.
Last night, he delivered. Westbrook had 11 points on 4/6 shooting from the field, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in just 20 minutes. If you watched this game, you know that his impact went beyond those numbers.
Westbrook gave the Clippers a burst of energy whenever he saw the floor. He kept the offense flowing when Harden sat. The Clippers may lose this game if Westbrook doesn't play so well.
That's likely to be a theme moving forward. Westbrook could be this team's x-factor heading into the playoffs. Last night, he showed everyone exactly how valuable he is to the squad.