This. Westbrook would make Harden worse and CP3 would probably be exactly what the media thought he would be with Harden - a spot up shooter. Again, thanks but no thanks to westbrook on the rox.
Eh, not really. Westbrook would never get this out of Oladipo with how little he cared to use him. Only reason Oladipo is flourishing is because he's out from under Westbrook. He wasn't this good in Orlando, but even those years, he was better than his one OKC year. It all comes back to Westbrook being incapable of making his teammates better. His MVP is a definite asterisk on the award's legitimacy.
Last year in the playoffs if I remember correctly, OKC played really well when Westbrook was looking to get his teammates involved. Once he turned into the shoot first and shoot every time mode they started to fall apart.
OKC should have won game 2, Westbrook was distributing the ball, Oladipo was hooping and Roberson was somehow making shots. Come 4th qtr Westbrook turned to hero ball and we were able to mount a comeback. but Russ had no help. I hope that narrative never ever ever dies.
yeah Russ was ripping us apart while playing smart, and then he realized he got his assists so he resorted back to his old self in the 4th and started jacking up contested threes.
He flashed in Orlando though a lot... Spoiler He was a promising player that did show he had the ability, Russ just snuffed it. He's a ball handler and driver first, a slasher first. That's How he likes to get into the game. In OKC he was just a shooter, which IIRC was a knock on him coming into the NBA in the first place. His playstyle is a lot like Wade or Derozan in the first place. Again, not that he can't shoot, obviously he can, but players need to feel comfy. Telling a dude like him to just stand at the 3 point line and help Westbrook get assists isn't his game.
Yup, no doubt. Thunder could have been legitimately good last year if Westbrook understood how to properly play.
Nice article on his clutch play of late on SBNation https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2017/1...vs-nuggets-cavs-bulls-spurs-paul-george-trade
I detest Westbrook and his style of play as much as others on here but Victor actually said playing with Westbrook helped him bring out certain parts of his game that we are all seeing this season. The lack of fear he is playing with and desire to step up and take the last shot for example. It's not as if he was lighting the league up when he was in Orlando and then Westbrook just stifled all that out of him last season. His injuries last season didnt help and there is ZERO doubt that he went into the offseason more motivated than at any other point in his career. He knew he would get the opportunity to be THE MAN in Indy this season and he got in better shape (even though hes always in good shape), he worked on his shot more than ever and all this was in evidence from the NBA Africa game. His mindset was on display and he took that into the season. Playing with Westbrook didnt bring out the best in him last season but for sure he took positives from that experience that;s helping him now.
Let's see how long that record lasts. They still have the 5th best point differential out West, while trying to blend in 3 new starters, one of them being Carmelo Anthony. It is going to take more than 25 games for them to figure out that puzzle, especially If Carmelo continues to refuse to come off the bench. They have had stretches this year where they looked really, REALLY good. (Like when they beatdown the Warriors and Russ completely demolished Steven Curry) I get it though. We are Houston Rockets fans. It's in our blood apparently to hate Russ. There is actually a thread in the Thunder forums asking "Why do Rocket fans hate Russell Westbrook and the Thunder so much"?
I've suggested that they should use the hexadecimal number system for NBA stats. That would force Westbrook to get his teammates involved much longer in a game before he resorted back to his jacking mode.
I was using the record of the thunder last year. So it lasted the venture year. The current record of the thunder is below .500. I do agree with you that the record of the thunder will get better. I hate westbrook since i have always really disliked player like him (iverson bryant etc). Furthermore he is playing purely for his stats. I find that disgusting. And somehow he was rewarded for this idiotic behaviour with a mvp title which clearly belonged to a rocket.
