Man who sold fatal dose of fentanyl to Temecula college student gets 9 years in federal prison

• February 28, 2023

Matt Capelouto stood in the Riverside courtroom of federal Judge Jesus G. Bernal on Monday, Feb. 27, clutching a blue urn containing the ashes of his daughter, Alexandra. He was there to address the man who sold Alexandra the fentanyl that killed her.

Capelouto told 23-year-old Brandon Michael McDowell he only wished one thing.

“If there is anything I would wish for today, it would be to hear Alex’s voice. Since the day she was born, the sound of her voice filled our hearts and our lives with love and hope,” Capelouto said at the sentencing hearing in U.S.District Court. “I just want to hear her voice, and here we are, here we are standing in the same room with an individual that chose to trade all that, to trade her life, for a few bucks.”

Packed courtroom

In a packed courtroom and a packed jury room to accommodate the overflow of spectators, Bernal sentenced McDowell, of Riverside, to nine years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors were seeking a 14-year sentence, while McDowell’s attorney, Deputy Federal Public Defender Young Kim, was asking for seven years in prison.

McDowell sold 20-year-old Alexandra Capelouto a batch of what she thought were oxycodone pills on Dec. 22, 2019. Capelouto had contacted McDowell via the social media platform Snapchat, seeking the pills to help her sleep. Instead, they were a death sentence.

During emotionally powerful victim impact statements, the Capelouto family — Alexandra’s parents, Matt and Christine, and their three surviving daughters, Skye, Brooke and Brittney — spoke of Alexandra’s battles with clinical depression, anxiety and insomnia, and how her death destroyed their family.

Alexandra Capelouto (Courtesy Capelouto family)

‘A nightmare you never wake up from’

Christine Capelouto found her daughter slumped over on her bed two days before Christmas, in a sitting position in front of her makeup mirror.

“I really thought she had just fallen asleep that way. I went to move her in a more comfortable sleeping position. I realized when I turned her over she was long gone,” Christine Capelouto said. “Her body was stiff and cold. This is a parent’s worst nightmare. It’s a nightmare you never wake up from.”

Alexandra was a sociology major at Arizona State University who dreamed of working in the foster care system, her mother said. She was home visiting for Christmas when she died.

Skye Capelouto said she woke up that dreadful morning — Dec. 23, 2019 — to the sound of a door slamming and her mother screaming.

“That was the worst day of my life. I lost my parents for awhile. We didn’t function as a family for a long time,” she said. “My heart will never stop breaking from losing my sister.”

Christine Capelouto said the day her daughter died, Alexandra told her she was battling insomnia, was really tired and that she could not get good sleep.

“I told her I didn’t have anything for her that could help her. Unbeknownst to me she sought out painkillers to help her sleep. She did not want to die. Alex was seeking relief, not death,” her mother said.

Suffering from lung cancer

In March 2022, she said she was diagnosed with stage 4 triple negative breast cancer which had metastasized to her lungs. Genetic testing came back negative, and the condition does not run in her family.

“I asked my doctor if my grief could have caused this cancer, and he said more than likely, yes,” Christine Capelouto said. “Our daughters barely have parents anymore. We just can’t function like a normal family, and we never will. I will not be alive much longer from this cancer. More losses in the family. I lost both my parents and my daughter in a 9-month period.”

Matt Capelouto said Alexandra’s death has taken even more from his family.

“We all know there is no greater pain than having a child stolen from you. It puts a weight and a strain on us all that can’t be measured,” he said. “I have no doubt all this pain and despair is the cause of my wife’s cancer, which is literally killing her as I stand her and talk with you — collateral damage caused by a guy making a buck off the life of our daughter.”

A grand jury indicted McDowell on one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death in December 2021. But under a deal with federal prosecutors, McDowell agreed to plead guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

After Alexandra Capelouto made contact with him on social media, McDowell drove to her Temecula home and sold her a batch of what were later determined to be blue fentanyl pills known in drug culture as “M30s,” according to the indictment.

Investigators seized 11 1/2 pills from Alexandra Capelouto’s bedroom, but are not sure how many she actually bought, and believe she had crushed them into powder and snorted the drug.

60-mile walk to courthouse

Three days before the court appearance, Capelouto’s parents and their supporters braved the cold and rainy weather on Friday to begin a 60-mile walk from Morgan Hill Park in Temecula to the federal courthouse in Riverside to attend McDowell’s sentencing. They were accompanied by a truck with an electronic billboard that flashed photos of people, most of them young, who have died from fentanyl poisoning.

During the final leg of their walk on Monday, the group marched from the Mission Inn in Riverside to the George E. Brown Jr. Federal Building, with Alexandra Capelouto’s parents leading the way and Matt clutching the blue urn like it was his newborn daughter.

Matt Capelouto is one of several parents whose children have died from fentanyl poisoning who have been pushing for stricter laws that would hold drug dealers accountable if they knowingly sell fentanyl to people who die after using it. Many support murder charges in such cases.

As part of the push for more punitive sentencings, federal prosecutors have vowed to continue aggressively investigating fatal overdose cases to identify and bring to justice every individual involved in trafficking the cheap synthetic opioid.

More on Alexandra Capelouto

Harsher penalties are needed to combat the fentanyl crisis and save lives
Riverside County’s war on fentanyl dealers gaining attention across state
Federal authorities have a tool to battle fentanyl dealers that California lacks
Law enforcement agencies, families call for tougher penalties against fentanyl dealers
Murder charges in fentanyl deaths? Riverside County carves new path in Southern California

In the last year, law enforcement officials at all levels from across Southern California and the country have been sounding the alarm and launching public awareness campaigns on the dangers of fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine and spreading like a cancer across the nation, becoming the No. 1 killer of adults in the 18-to-45 age range.

In January, local and federal law enforcement officials in Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties announced the launch of another public outreach campaign, “Death in Disguise.” It expanded on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s “One Pill Can Kill” campaign and included the release of a new public service announcement and an engagement program targeting schools and community groups across Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

The Capelouto case has generated wide publicity and prompted Sen. Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore, to introduce Senate Bill 350 in 2021. The bill, which failed in committee, would have mandated that under state law, anyone convicted of dealing fentanyl or other potentially deadly drugs be issued a written warning that an overdose death resulting from providing such drugs could result in a murder prosecution in the future.

It was recommended Monday that McDowell serve his sentence at either the Lompoc or Terminal Island federal correctional institutions.

​ Orange County Register 

Boys and girls soccer: Schedule for the CIF SoCal Regional playoffs

• February 28, 2023

CIF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL PLAYOFFS

BOYS SOCCER

DIVISION I

Quarterfinals, Tuesday, 5 p.m.

Bakersfield Ridgeview at JSerra

Sunny Hills at Encinitas San Dieguito

DIVISION II

Quarterfinals, Tuesday, 5 p.m.

Poway at San Clemente

DIVISION III

Quarterfinals, Tuesday, 5 p.m.

Newport Harbor at San Diego Point Loma

Santa Maria Pioneer Valley vs. El Dorado at Valencia HS

Palisades at Los Alamitos, 4:30 p.m.

DIVISION IV

Quarterfinals, Tuesday, 5 p.m.

La Jolla Country Day at Orange Lutheran

DIVISION V

Regional semifinals: Thursday, 5 p.m.

Oxford Academy at Lompoc

SCHEDULE

Regional semifinals: Thursday, 5 p.m.

Championship games: Saturday, 5 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

DIVISION I

Quarterfinals, Tuesday, 5 p.m.

Bakersfield Liberty vs. Santa Margarita at Saddleback College

Carlsbad La Costa Canyon at Villa Park

San Diego Cathedral at Los Alamitos, 7 p.m.

DIVISION III

Quarterfinals, Tuesday, 5 p.m.

Bakersfield Centennial at Marina, 3 p.m.

Portola at San Diego Henry

DIVISION IV

Quarterfinals, Tuesday, 5 p.m.

South Gate at Crean Lutheran

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DIVISION V

Quarterfinals, Tuesday, 5 p.m.

Magnolia at San Diego Clairemont

Larchmont vs. La Quinta at Bolsa Grande HS

SCHEDULE

Regional semifinals: Thursday, 5 p.m.

Championship games: Saturday, 5 p.m.

​ Orange County Register 

Find out how Lake Elsinore’s Kodi Lee finished on ‘America’s Got Talent: All-Stars’

• February 28, 2023

Aidan Bryant, an aerialist from Virginia and runner-up on the 16th season of  “America’s Got Talent,” won “America’s Got Talent: All-Stars” and its $500,000 prize as the NBC talent show competition wrapped up on Monday.

He edged out Avery Dixon, a saxophonist from Atlanta who was a finalist in the 17th season of the series.

Kodi Lee, 26, the Lake Elsinore singer-pianist who won the 14th season of “America’s Got Talent” and its $1 million prize in 2019, did not make the Top 5 when the initial round of cuts were announced.

Lee, who has autism and is blind, was a favorite coming into the finale – judge Heidi Klum predicted he’d win it all last week – but did not win the vote of “super fans” given the task of sorting through a field of past winners, runners-up and fan favorites.

“Light Balance Kids,” a dance troupe from Ukraine, who finished in third place on “America’s Got Talent” in 2017, landed in the same place again. Ana-Maria Mărgean, a ventriloquist who won “Romania’s Got Talent” finished fourth and was followed by Aidan McCann, a magician and past finalist on “Britain’s Got Talent.”

Lee’s final performances took place a week ago when he performed David Bowie’s “Heroes” and once again wowed the judges. He had advanced to the finals after singing Calum Scott’s “Biblical” earlier in the season.

On Monday, it was all just for fun as Lee teamed up with fellow finalists Light Balance Kids, who perform in clothes fitted with multi-colored LED lights. Lee sang and accompanied himself solo on Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” for an opening verse before the stage lights cut out and the dancers flooded the stage.

As the song wound down, Lee left the piano to join the troupe, dancing as the seams and outlines of his own jacket lit up in synchronization with the others.

“Kodi, how was it performing with Light Balance Kids?” host Terry Crews asked before the cheers died down.

“It was so awe-some,” Lee replied with a big smile.

Judge Simon Cowell grinned as he shook his head appreciatively at the performers.

“You know what, this is just so incredible,” he said. “This is what it’s all about, just seeing two talented acts like that. I loved that.”

The results show matched up other acts, too, many of them with guest star performers.

Finalists the acrobatic trio the Bello Sisters and aerialist Aidan Bryant were joined by singer Adam Lambert who sang Sia’s “Chandelier” as they performed. Violinist Lindsey Sterling performed as finalists the Power Duo danced. And finalists the Detroit Youth Choir joined indie rock band Weezer for a rousing performance of that band’s hit “Beverly Hills.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Those stuck in San Bernardino Mountains after storm fear dwindling supplies

• February 28, 2023

The San Bernardino Mountains were still blanketed by several feet of snow on Monday, Feb. 27,  and with road closures still in effect and more snowfall on the way, residents and travelers were growing concerned of when they will be able to leave their homes and rentals — and how long their supplies will last.

Vira Krasiuk and her family had come to Lake Arrowhead from Aliso Viejo on Friday for a short trip, only planning to stay until Saturday.

The family, which included three adults and three kids, remained trapped at their rental home and were running low on supplies and unable to make the drive to the nearest grocery store. On Monday, two family members walked about two hours down to the nearest gas station to get water, dry noodles and other necessities.

Originally from Ukraine, Krasiuk said she had never experienced a winter storm like this even when back home.

“We called the fire department and asked about when we could leave and they said all roads are closed,” Krasiuk said. “We cannot get out.”

Hard road closures remained on Monday with no access to anyone other than emergency services while Caltrans staff continued working to clear the snow on highways 18, 138, 189, 173, 330 and 38, according to Caltrans spokesperson Carolina Rojas.

“Staff continues to work around the clock making great progress considering the circumstances that we were faced with,” Rojas said.

Many long-time residents prepared and stocked up ahead of the storm but did not anticipate the road closures continuing through Monday.

Caltrans officials said trucks hauling groceries and other supplies made the trip up Highway 18 over the weekend to Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake, and were coordinating additional efforts with local agencies for fuel, groceries, medical and other essential needs in all mountain communities — but some residents said their stores were still dwindling on supplies.

Robin Unwin-Bassett, who has lived in Twin Peaks for three years, said her family made a run to the store last week, stocking up on all the essentials. With two teens and an infant, she said she told her kids to run wild and grab any snacks they wanted knowing they would be stuck indoors for days to come.

Unwin-Bassett’s one concern was her supply of milk, which she was conserving for her one-year-old son.

She said the road outside her home on Monday was still covered in several feet of snow.

A snow plow had come through the neighborhood earlier to clear the roads, but with so much snow continuing to fall, the efforts were in vain.

“I felt bad for the guy because there’s just nowhere to even push it all,” Unwin-Bassett said. “My husband was out there for hours shoveling, a neighbor with his own plowing tools was trying to clear the road, but it just keeps falling.”

“And we’re expecting at least two to three more days of snow,” she said.

Arthur Lev has lived in Crestline for the last two years and said he was running low on supplies for himself and his two cats.

Lev said he is unable to get to his local store because of the road closures, and making the walk even out to his driveway was too strenuous.

He estimated he had about four days of supplies left.

“The roads are covered with snow, major supermarkets are running dangerously low on supplies, gas stations are running low,” Lev said. “Our concern is how long it will take the government to provide assistance.”

Reacting to the problems in the mountains, San Bernardino County declared a local emergency Monday evening seeking state and federal assistance to clear snow from the mountain highways and neighborhood streets “and support any other necessary work and services.”

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials said they are working with local agencies to create a warming center for those in need of additional resources, and the San Bernardino County Fire Department was using specialized snow vehicles to access patients in medical need.

A shelter was opened by the American Red Cross on Monday at Redlands East Valley High School, 31000 E. Colton Ave., for mountain residents unable to return home and seeking safe shelter. The shelter will be staffed around the clock and resources will be available until 8 p.m. Monday night and daily starting Tuesday  from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The county said a call center was established to assist residents, and can be reached at 909-387-3911 through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to provide information.

In response to mountain-area road closures caused by winter weather, we have opened a shelter at Redlands East Valley High School (31000 E Colton Ave) for mountain residents unable to return home and seeking safe shelter. pic.twitter.com/028UFDn2M4

— American Red Cross Southern California Region (@SoCal_RedCross) February 27, 2023

For residents and travelers stuck inside their residences and worried about supplies, Unwin-Bassett implored others to be kind to their neighbors.

“Please ask for help if you need it. We have a really great community here willing to help,” she said. “So be nice, we’re all getting cabin fever.”

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​ Orange County Register 

OC students snowed in at science camps are coming home

• February 28, 2023

Hundreds of students who went away to outdoor science camps in the mountains last week and got stuck there due to heavy snowfall are expected back home Monday, Feb. 27.

Students from schools in Orange County’s Irvine, Garden Grove, Fullerton and La Palma, as well as the San Gabriel Valley, were snowed in at several camps in the San Bernardino mountains and unable to return as planned Friday.

By Monday late afternoon, students and teachers from G.B. Miller Elementary in La Palma, Gilbert Elementary in Garden Grove, Rolling Hills Elementary in Fullerton and Rowland Elementary in Rowland Heights either had arrived or were almost home.

In Irvine Unified, 120 students from Turtle Rock Elementary arrived home late Monday afternoon. And another 492 Irvine students — from Cadence Park, Oak Creek and Stone Creek schools — were still making their way home from the Pali Institute Outdoor Education Center in Running Springs, with the California Highway Patrol escorting buses down the mountain, as of Monday evening.

RELATED: Orange County students ‘snowed in’ at science camps due to weather

Southern California’s historic snowstorm and record-breaking rainfall led to the closure of all routes leading up to Big Bear and other areas where students were participating in what’s a rite of passage in California: a multi-day outdoor science camp. San Bernardino County, where the Big Bear region is, declared a local emergency Monday evening due to the weather.

While some enjoyed the extra snow time, it also led to some anxiety and homesickness.

“It’s been a rollercoaster,” said Rolling Hills teacher Jody Dyer, who was at the High Trails Outdoor Science School in Big Bear. “Even for those who have a history of going to camps and spending time at friends’ homes. They have fun. They feel homesick. Then they have a full day of activities and have fun. But in the evening, they start to feel bad again.

“And that’s where we come in,” said Dyer, who along with fellow teachers Kimberly Clary-Horn and Kyle Williamson has worked to keep up the spirits of the 69 sixth-graders from her school at “Camp High Trails.”

Teachers and camp counselors have been working around the clock to provide additional activities, meals and a safe place for the students, according to officials from various districts.

But some parents at Irvine Unified expressed concern about what they said was inadequate communication from the district. At least 30 parents met Sunday afternoon with Mayor Farrah Khan to ask questions. Khan did not respond to a request for comment.

“(Khan) explained what she knew and comforted as many people as she could,” said Parrisa Yazdani, who said she worried for her sixth-grader, who had just enough medication to last through Friday, as allowed by the camp’s rules. Yazdani said she asked the camp nurse to allow her daughter to skip her dose on Friday so she would have one for Saturday.

“No one (from the district) has contacted me about my daughter’s medication,” she said.

But teachers, Yazdani said, “have been phenomenal and gone above and beyond.”

Because students were not allowed to take cell phones with them, some teachers have used their own devices to help students communicate with families.

Some parents also questioned why school districts didn’t postpone the trips.

“We’re not in the 1900s. We have 10-day forecasts now,” said Irvine parent Feroz Kadar.

“I find that the communication — the level of clarity, of rigor, of detail, of transparency — appalling,” Kadar said, adding that he hopes the district will “better prepare” communications in future emergencies.

Both Yazdani and Kadar said they, along with other parents, valued above all else their children’s safety and wanted them brought down the mountains only once it is safe, regardless of how long that could take.

Irvine Unified parent Katie Fern, who has twins at Camp Pali, said she’s been happy with the level of communication from Stone Creek Elementary in Irvine from the get-go.

“We’ve had a Google Drive with photos of our kids every day. We had a Zoom call on Friday, where they set up five-minute calls,” she said. “I was getting enough information from the school. That was enough for me. I don’t know what the district could have added.” 

Irvine Unified Spokeswoman Annie Brown said in a statement Monday: “We understand that this fluid situation may have caused concern and frustration for our students, staff and families.”

“We would like to thank them for their patience and understanding as we continue to work diligently with the CHP, school and camp staff, our transportation team and other agencies on their safe return,” Brown said. “IUSD’s top priority is the safety of our students and staff. We continue to do everything in our power to ensure that our students are reunited with their families as safely and as soon as possible.”

At Centralia Elementary School District, Superintendent Norma Martinez also expressed gratitude to CHP “for their efforts to clear the road and prioritize our students coming down from camp.” Students were expected to return one day early, on Thursday, but a big rig accident closed the road.

The continued storm is expected to affect camps originally slated for this week. Irvine Unified canceled at least one planned excursion, and Anaheim Elementary is working with a camp to reschedule, said Superintendent Christopher Downing.

Saddleback Valley Unified had 96 students and adults at an outdoor science camp last week but was able to get them home Friday by transporting them via smaller 20-person vehicles down the mountain.

“There was great teamwork behind the scenes and good fortune of eventually hitting the timing right on the roads and thinking a little out of the box,” Saddleback Valley Unified spokeswoman Wendie Hauschild said Monday.

With Irvine Unified’s much larger group, more than 600 students, along with the severe weather conditions, “it would not be possible or safe to transport that number of students down the mountain in SUVs or other passenger vehicles,” Superintendent Terry L.Walker told parents in an email Friday.

CHP, he said, “heavily discourages families from driving to the camp sites.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Report: Lakers’ LeBron James could miss weeks with foot injury

• February 28, 2023

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Lakers’ quest to splash back into the postseason mix might have taken a brutal hit on Sunday night, amid the throes of one of the most enthralling wins of the season.

In the third quarter of an eventual 111-108 comeback win against the Dallas Mavericks, LeBron James landed awkwardly on his right foot and grabbed at it while writhing on the ground. Now, the team might have to play a good chunk of its remaining 21 regular-season games without the 38-year-old star.

The Athletic was first to report that James’ foot injury might cost him weeks in a regular season with only six weeks remaining. While James played through the fourth quarter on the injury, even going 5 for 9 from the field with a team-high 11 points in a massive comeback against the Mavericks, the report indicated that James’ foot will require “multiple opinions.”

James emphasized the seriousness of the injury on his Instagram account: posting a video of his right foot wrapped up in multiple layers in his Memphis hotel room, with an uninspiring but colorful caption.

The injury itself was noncontact, and James was overheard on TV microphones saying shortly after the fall that he heard “a pop.” Coach Darvin Ham said after the game he had not personally heard James characterize the injury that way.

Aside from casting doubt over James’ ability to play out the rest of the regular season, the injury is a serious blow to the scrapping Lakers (29-32), who were in 12th place in the Western Conference as of Monday morning with the ambition to climb to the No. 6 seed or higher. The Lakers were 2½ games out of the six seed and a game out of the No. 10 seed, the last play-in spot. They’ve been battling from the back of the standings all season long.

A trade deadline roster reshuffle had given rising hope to the Lakers: They are 4-1 since acquiring five new players, including D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley, all of whom have played in the starting lineup in the last three games. James had been dealing with a left foot injury before the All-Star break, playing in three wins since the deadline.

Part of the reason James played through injury was the team’s mounting urgency to win, he said.

“It’s been better, that’s for sure,” James said of his foot injury on Sunday night. “But I definitely wasn’t going to go to the locker room and not finish the game out tonight. Just understood the importance of the game and then with the momentum that we had, I felt like we could still win after being down. We’ll monitor it the next couple days, see how it feels and go from there.”

James is the team’s leading scorer (29.5 ppg) and playmaker (6.9 apg), as well as one of the leading rebounders (8.4 rpg). While he’s missed 14 of the team’s 61 games so far, he’s generally been the Lakers’ best player, and more available than teammate Anthony Davis, who has missed 24 games.

The Lakers are also expected to see Russell (right ankle sprain) miss additional time: The 27-year-old guard was listed as doubtful for the team’s Tuesday night game in Memphis. They’ll have one more road game in Oklahoma City before returning to L.A. for a five-game homestand.

The Lakers do have the benefit of one of the NBA’s easiest remaining schedules, with a .479 remaining opponent record. But they’ll play critical games against teams narrowly ahead of them in the standings over the next few weeks: Minnesota, Golden State, New Orleans and Dallas all before March 18.

James has a legacy throughout his 20-year career of being available, one of the reasons he was able to eclipse the NBA’s career scoring record earlier this month. But in his tenure with the Lakers during his mid- to late-30s, he’s struggled to stay healthy: He has missed 98 games in five seasons as a Laker (sitting out in Memphis will be his 99th), playing in 73% of all possible games. He missed just 71 games over his first NBA 15 seasons.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Monday, Feb. 27

• February 28, 2023

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Scores and stats from Orange County games on Monday, Feb. 27

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

MONDAY’S SCORES

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

TESORO TOURNAMENT

Semifinals

Beckman def. Mater Dei, 25-22, 25-21

Other Tesoro Tournament scores

Mission Viejo def. Marina, 25-15, 25-19

​ Orange County Register 

Clippers’ Tyronn Lue weighing how best to juggle backcourt minutes

• February 28, 2023

Even before adding a future Hall of Famer to the mix, Coach Tyronn Lue faced the challenge of finding minutes for the amount of talent on the Clippers roster. Now, with Russell Westbrook on the team, Lue’s job has gotten more complicated, and it didn’t take long.

It’s a situation Lue will continue to face in the Clippers’ final 19 regular-season games, including Tuesday’s home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and beyond.

Two games after the team signed Westbrook, Lue had to choose between playing the former league MVP point guard down the stretch and into overtime against Denver on Sunday or Bones Hyland, an energetic second-year player. Or journeyman Eric Gordon.

And what about Terance Mann, who had performed solidly starting in a non-point guard role? Where does he fit in?

In the 134-124 overtime loss to Denver, Westbrook didn’t play a minute in the fourth quarter or the overtime, despite having scored 17 points, shot 60% from the field with only two turnovers and five steals in 25 minutes. Instead, Mann was on the floor during those minutes with brief stints by Hyland and Gordon.

In the 176-175 double-overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings on Friday, Lue sat Mann in favor of Westbrook down late in the fourth quarter and the overtime periods.

“He (Westbrook) pulled out a lot of games in his career, you know, and so I thought what hurt us was their ball pressure, getting up the floor, picking up full court,” Lue said about Westbrook’s play. “Keeping him in the game and on the floor to initiate because the pressure doesn’t bother him. I thought that was key for us.”

After the Kings game, Lue admitted that he probably should have played Mann more than 18 minutes.

“He was good. He should have played more,” said Lue, while acknowledging that someone else would see their playing time decrease.

“We all are just trying to figure it out. I know what T-Mann brings to the team,” Lue said. “Just trying to learn some things about the newer guys and just trying to put some different pieces together and see how it looks.

“I had a talk with T-Mann so he understands, but probably should have him on the floor a little bit more, but that’s a learning experience for me as well.”

Lue’s learning curve now includes having Westbrook share the ball-handling duties with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard without him losing his focus and playing outside of his game, which could lead to turnovers and wild shots.

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“We just have to make sure we keep him engaged in the game,” Lue said after the Denver loss. “He only had five shots at halftime, you know, so in the third quarter we wanted to come out and try to get him going together.”

Lue understands that each player wants to be on the floor as much as possible, but they are going to sacrifice their minutes at times for the team to be successful.

“They wouldn’t be where they are today if they weren’t competitors who want to compete,” Lue said. “We have a lot of good players and so every night is not going to be their night, so they have to understand that, and we have to understand that and whatever it takes to win is what we got to do.

“It’s just tough juggling all the good players right now, but we’ll get it down.”

​ Orange County Register