LeBron: Westbrook was 'great all game' off bench in loss to T-Wolves

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James praised teammate Russell Westbrook's reserve performance after the team's 111-102 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night.

"He was great," James said, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "He was great all game."

Westbrook finished with 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting with eight rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes. He missed five free throws and also had the same number of turnovers.

"Russ, my hat's off to him once again," head coach Darvin Ham said. "Came off and showed the type of impact he can have in that reserve role and shoring up our bench - not just coming in and trying to maintain anything but coming in and taking it up a notch. So he was great in that role tonight. And I look forward to seeing him in it more once we start getting healthy bodies back."

Anthony Davis missed Friday's contest with back soreness. The team reportedly considered continuing to start Westbrook with Davis out, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. However, the Lakers pivoted to a starting lineup of James, Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker, Troy Brown, and Damian Jones.

"From Day 1, I mentioned I'm the guy that's willing to do whatever for the team," Westbrook said. "I'll sacrifice whatever it is that needs to be sacrificed, parts of my game that I've done for years to accommodate whatever it is that the coach needs me to do, and I'll continue to do that."

James said that Westbrook's energy off the bench "catapulted" the Lakers' effort.

Westbrook also came off the bench in the Lakers' preseason finale. However, he only played four minutes before leaving with a hamstring injury that held him out against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

The Lakers and Kings remain the only teams that haven't won a game this season. Los Angeles squares off against the Nuggets again Sunday with tipoff slated for 9:30 p.m. ET.