NBA News: Trail Blazers Star Guard Feels Westbrook Criticism Too Much

Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers is no stranger when it comes to criticism. He has had his share of it and has found ways to manage it.

The 31-year-old is aware of the heat that Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Lakers is getting and offers some advice.

In his opinion, Lillard believes that Westbrook should just face the music and adds that criticism is part of the job.

The six-time All-Star shared his thoughts on Westbrook when he appeared on the Club Shay Shay episode hosted by Shannon Sharpe.

"If I had to tell him anything, I would just tell him [to] face the music," Lillard said. "The criticism, it's gonna happen. You're playing in one of the biggest markets, so I would just face it. … Deal with it.”

Given the accomplishments that Westbrook has had, the high expectations and criticism are to be expected. However, the fact that he is on the Los Angeles Lakers and is playing alongside LeBron James, the level of criticism he is bound to get was expected to be at a different level.

However, Lillard believes that the criticism Westbrook has gotten has gone a bit overboard.

"It's easy to kick somebody when they're down. … It's going overboard at this point, in my opinion," the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year explains.

But as explained by American scribe and book author Roland Lazenby when he appeared on the Sports Bytes PH podcast back in December, Los Angeles is house to rowdy fans who have a bar set.

“In LA, they’ve got those big eyes for everything. Sitting around the corner, all those powerful Holly wood people…you know they think it’s their right to be able to root and cheer in everybody’s face. But that’s not the game. The game’s going to sort it out and you got to meet the standards. You got to play well,” Lazenby explained.