Does Russ look like a “square peg in a round hole” to you?

If we have cp3, this game must win. The problem is that westbrooks is not a good shooter.

 

Listen, i think Westbrook has been good for us. I love the energy he plays with and I think he's a great guy. I think we can still win the chip with him.

But, I wanna ask an honest question, how would some of you feel about our chances at a ring if we had Lillard...honestly

 

I don't think we lose anything with WB vs CP3. In fact, we might be better.

The problem isn't with Harden & WB, the problem is with the rest of the team.

 

Seriously though, someone entertain me, i know its dumb, but just tell me how you see this team with a Lillard.

 

Where I grew up "a square peg in a round hole" was a bad thing, so I voted no. Why is the poll overwhelmingly "yes" when the comments are positive?

 

Thread title and poll are two different things.

This.

How many voted based on the thread title?

"Does Russ look like a “square peg in a round hole” to you?"

I think the 79% that voted "YES" did so based on the thread title.

but the poll is "Does Westbrook fit?"

I don't really believe 79% thinks Westbrook fits.

"Does Russ look like a “square peg in a round hole” to you?"

YES!

"Does Westbrook fit?"

NO!

 

Jesus, make it simple & keep the poll & title the same pls

 

I mean, Lillard is better than Westbrook, especially offensively, so I’m not sure why anyone would think we wouldn’t be better

 

is that you J lol

 

LOL, no. But he’s right.

If Russ just attacked the basket every play, which he clearly can, he’d probably be one of the best players in the league. He’d average an efficient 20-25 points a game easily. Instead...he has been content to shoot out-of-rhythm jumpers, and it hurts the offense.

 

You can't attack the basket every time. If you did, you'd be one dimensional. Teams would defend you knowing what you would do every time. You have to have several options to keep the defense honest.

Maybe Westbrook is one dimensional. That's why he is an inefficient player in the half court. He is at his best in transitional offense. If you think of it, he is a very very rich man's Corey Brewer.

 

Not concerned yet, still figuring it out along with a bunch of injuries.

 

I just don’t see how people can believe this.

The numbers are there. And everywhere.

Westbrook with a poor net rating. Only his rookie season has been worse in win shares. Currently only 4 volume shooters that are LESS efficient than him. 538s new RAPTOR stat has him as a negative offensive player, negative defensive player and of course net negative overall.

Westbrook has been overall bad so far as a Houston Rocket.

Harden and CC carrying us to wins while RW gets his trademark empty triple doubles seems to have blinded folks for some reason.

 

I disagree. Nobody is guarding Westbrook much at the perimeter because they know he’s not a threat from 3, so the notion of him having several options to score is not really valid. He can still get by whoever even if they’re not respecting his jump shot. Sure, he’ll make the occasional 3, but he has yet to have even a single game of efficient outside shooting. Conversely, he is having one of his best seasons scoring at the rim. Every Westbrook jumper is a win for the defense, especially when its Harden passing him the ball out of a double team and Westbrook essentially has an unbalanced defense to attack.

I understand you can’t attack every single time, but right now it is closer to a a 50/50 split, when it really should be much more heavily skewed towards attacking vs jump shots. Not only would he score more efficiently overall, but he’d cause the defense to collapse and open up shots for others.

But having said all that, his transition game has really helped. It’s added a new element, which was probably needed.

 

I mean like would we be comfortably better than the LA teams.

 

I’d say yes

Lillard
Harden
House
Tucker
Capela

EG as 6th man...Idk how u stop that

Lillard isn’t good defensively, but it’s not like Russ is so impactful on that end either

Lillard is much better than Westbrook at this point...he’s been better since the 17-18 season

 

This is fantastic insight. Can I ask, does the formula just look at the team internally or does it look at the team in relation to other teams?

Like *pre trade* did it look at the LAC/LAL additions and make the Rockets chances go down based on that?

I think Harden more than anything just wants to win, and his MAIN goal is just *adding to the talent base.* And not as much "get CP out of here, get my friend Westbrook." I think Harden's approach is much like Morey....just being pragmatic about adding the talent base.

 

It's only so many shots that can be taken in the small ball system!

The triple double potential is there and might prove valuable.

 

I'm not sure honestly. I would think it would have to factor in other teams as well.

 

Ouch. I'm not gonna be able to forget that line.