Westbrook: "I don't give a f*** about (my stat) line."

Adams had that shirt on.

 

The reporter is being stubborn because he's doing his job. He needs to get quotes so he can write his piece.

 

Does praying to Larry Bird really help?

 

Space city yo

 

Ask Paul George

 

Yeah, we can quibble about what makes him so obnoxious, and I think you're probably correct, but I agree with Clutch: the guy has always been really hard to like. Every minute of his life is suffered like an imposition, even while he's on the court, and he's actually one of the luckiest people on the planet.

Stay angry, Russ, and whatever. Good luck recruiting FA's with that schtick. Working wonders so far.

Just wait and see how bitter this dude gets in his late career. Going to make Kobe look like queen Elizabeth by comparison.

 

People blame Durant to leave the team to join GS, then which superstar would want to join the OKC after watching the last

Sunday game

 

Someone please photoshop Kobe's face to the queen's body, or vice versa.

Deserves its own thread.

 

Funny Kobe actually said this about WB.



Around 4:12

 

Eh. Harden had a playoff game a few years ago where he just basically quit on the whole team. Didn't stop FAs from coming here. At the end of the day, if a team offers the most money, people will go play there. Happens in every sport, with every kind of teammate.

 

When was this?

 

Maybe quit is the wrong term, but if I remember right, he had a game somewhere that he had 10+ turnovers and seemed completely disinterested in the game (poor defense, inexplicable passes, etc.) With Russ, at least you get 100% effort, even if he's an idiot at times. That's not to defend Russ there - neither would be fun teammates to play with when they do that. My point is just that players will happily play with crappy teammates, so long as they get paid. And there's nothing wrong with that - it's how the economics of the NBA is set up and the only way to make it sustainable.

 

I was telling Mrs. 2000 this the other day. Every time this dude makes a play he (and Curry) makes this "who farted" mock tough guy face. Jim will make a play, smile, and do some goofy shimmy. I like it when guys are having fun. Russ is a poser. He thinks it makes his game passionate. Like no one expected him to put up good numbers. I used to like him, but now he is just grating.

 

His only playoff game ever with more than 10 TOs was game 5 of the conference finals vs Warriors.
You interpret a 12 TO game as him quitting on the team? There may be other factors involved?

One could say that when Russ just goes himself all the time, he is quitting on the team, but you attribute that to effort. I dunno, seems like you are the ultimate arbiter of what constitutes someone quitting on their team?

 

Reading posts can be helpful at times instead of stopping at 10+ TO. Notice the ...

"and seemed completely disinterested in the game (poor defense, inexplicable passes, etc.)"

Do you think maybe that contributed to my evaluation?

Of course I would be the ultimate arbiter of my own opinions. Who else would be??

 

Yes, that is why I gave some discussion to the point mentioned.

 

Uh that would have been the last game in the WC finals vs GS, IRRC he was tired at the end of the game and was completely walking around; contrasted to old man Jason Terry flying all over the court like he knew it was his last best chance at another trip to the finals...

 

You're talking about game 5 against the Warriors. I think he just laid an egg that game. I don't think he was disinterested. Objectively, he had no reason to be. He just came off of a huge performance and a win in game 4, and the Rockets were in the game most of that night. Remember that same year, Lebron had a 10-to game, too, and I don't think anyone reasonable would question his talent or effort level.

Westbrook goes 100% all the time except on defense... and on offense it's to the detriment of the team.

Yes, players often ultimately go where the money is, but the best players all get paid the same amount of money thanks to the existence of max contracts, so when all else is equal, they're going to take other factors into consideration. Hell, they'll take those other factors into consideration even if the money is NOT equal. Durant took a paycut to to leave Westbrook... I don't doubt that if they want to get WB help, they're going to have to overpay some glorified role player or two. Either that, or they're going to have to hit a jackpot trade or lottery pick.

Kobe is another good example. Everybody acknowledges he's very similar to Westbrook (except actually LESS of an @sshole to the media, but more of an @sshole to opponents and teammates), and he has countless teammates who are on record as hating him. Shaq, Dwight, tons of role players. I have no doubt he scared many people away we don't know about, too. Ultimately he was able to land enough other stars around him with the help of a great front office, having Phil Jackson, and being in LA. OKC doesn't have any of those things.

 

I had 42 at the time

- guy who does not care about stats