LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have a lot of similarities on the court: they are both physically gifted playmakers who are a threat to get a triple-double on any given night. But aside from their playstyles, they are also known to be good friends off the court.

It was Russell Westbrook's birthday, and many NBA people took the time to congratulate him on his 33rd year of life. There's no doubt that Russell Westbrook has accomplished a lot in the game, and he still has some time to do more on the court.

One of the people that sent his well-wishes to Russell Westbrook was LeBron James, who shouted out Westbrook via Instagram. LeBron James posted various photos of the duo together and wished him some love in the caption.

Happy Gday Brodie!!! Love. Laugh. Love. Then Laugh again!!! Love my brother

Perhaps Russell Westbrook will manage to lead the Lakers to win today against the Timberwolves on his birthday. That would certainly be a great way to celebrate the occasion, and it seems like a favorable matchup for the Lakers, even without the services of LeBron James.

Russell Westbrook is still an effective player in his early 30s, and he's been shouldering a lot of the offensive load while LeBron James is out with an abdominal strain. Westbrook has had two solid games against the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets in recent memory, and the Lakers will need performances of that level from him in order to contend.

LeBron James once called Russell Westbrook the most explosive point guard in NBA history, and he has been showing some of that electric athleticism on the Lakers. Hopefully, Russell Westbrook will deliver some more of that in future games in Los Angeles, and it's clear that when he gets his game going he's difficult to stop.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Former Knicks guard calls out Joel Embiid for questionable play
LeBron James as Lakers struggle: 'We're supposed to have anxiety'
Bills GM doesn't regret trading back with Chiefs in first round of NFL Draft
Caleb Williams embracing lofty, historic goals with Bears
Yet another starting pitcher goes down with elbow discomfort
A look at how the first round of the NFL Draft went for the NFC North
Will Patriots start Drake Maye over Jacoby Brissett?
Former Giants OL Korey Cunningham dies at 28
After draft disappointment, Knicks' Josh Hart has found his NBA home
Magic end 13-year drought as Paolo Banchero makes history
Joel Embiid makes incredible NBA playoffs history
Falcons make awful draft decision with No. 8 overall pick
Joel Embiid's career high keeps 76ers alive in series vs. Knicks
Bears select Caleb Williams with No. 1 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Shohei Ohtani says what he's 'grateful' for following interpreter gambling scandal
Eagles lock in another star wide receiver with record contract extension
Panthers win again to push Lightning to playoff brink
Patrick Mahomes commends Chiefs drafting speedy offensive playmaker
Bam Adebayo urges Heat to embrace 'cage fight' vs. Celtics
Rory McIlroy perfectly sums up the state of professional golf with two words

Want more sports news?

Join the hundreds of thousands of fans who start their day with Yardbarker's Morning Bark, the best newsletter in sports.