Is Russell Westbrook already the best PG in the League?

No, and he never will be. He is just like Marbury, Iverson, and Francis before him. He will score and get 5-6 assists a game to round out his numbers, but he will never be a top PG because like those guys he will never set his team up. Everytime I see him dribble the ball, kill the shot clock, and then pass it to Durant behind the 3 point line with 5 seconds on the shot clock left I laugh thinking with how good Durant is, how much better would he be if he were playing next to a different PG.

Not to take away from Westbrook the player. He is in the mold of a D.Rose and the guys I mentioned earlier. He's a scorer who can explode for 30+ in any game. He's just not a PG.

 

Why do people keep including Marbury/Francis with Iverson? Iverson is a 1st ballot HOF and one of the greatest guards to ever played the game. If your career ends up like Iverson, you should be thankful.

And WB at 23 already made 2 all-nba teams + went to the Finals. He's already better than Marbury/Francis ever were.

And since when do you have to be a true PG to help your team win?

 

Because they are score first PG's who were average at best at setting up teammates. I never said Marbury and Francis are on par with Iverson as a player. Just on par with him as it relates to PG skills. Why do you think the Sixers moved Iverson to SG after a few years in the leauge?

Again, never dogged Westbrook the player. I know his numbers and what he can do on the court. But when you talk about the best PG's, that list is reserved for players who are just that. The best point guards in the league. A point guard is a player who can set up his teams offense. Rose does that in Chicago while scoring 20+, so does Deron in Brooklyn. Nash did it in his prime in Phoenix.

Westbrook can't do it because he needs to dominate the ball to score his points like Marbury, Francis and Iverson did. Rose, Deron, and Nash did not need to do that. That's the difference between a great PG and a SG playing PG.

 

A SG play PG is still a PG. The reality of the situation is that scoring pgs that lack passing skills are more valuable, and often help a team win even they aren't great at passing or setting up teammates.

 

I'd say he could be a top 5 shooting guard in the NBA. Paul is the best and can control a game for short stints at almost the MJ level but I've seen a point guard (yes I'm only 24) run the show like Rondo, he actually controls entire games and someone has to bring up that this 10+ assist streak is still going, 37 and counting, 9 from Magic.

We really have to appreciate that the league has two of the best traditional point guards of all time right now, these guys are both cracking my top when it's all said and done. Rondos going for 13.5 assists a game this year, what happens if he breaks Stockon's season average record.

 

At this point, I don't think he's anywhere close to CP3/Rose level. He plays too much hero ball. Thunder fans really dislike how he would ignore an open Kevin Martin many times in a game in order to shoot himself.

 

I'm sure tons of guards from prior era's would look more athletic in a league where they can't be handchecked and can drive to the rim knowing someone won't try to take their head off. The league has shifted to guards, who are less efficient FYI, because today's bigs suck. Put a prime Shaq or Hakeem in this league and see what happens.

 

Perkins has been wrecking his triple double by converting his layups into hockey assists. (In other news, one of Perkin's better games in OKC... except for the whole rebounding thing.)

 

Doesn't he have to throw a pass first, like to qualify?

 

You picked a bad week to make that joke. He's like a magic eight ball though. Maybe tomorrow.

 

He's on my fantasy team. Perkins pissed me off tonight even passed up a dunk to give it to Durant

 

A bad night for Russell Westbrook haters.

 

I didn't watch the game. Just checked the boxscore.

23 13 8 8 7

He coughed up more than he stole.
8 assists is pretty good.
23 points looks good until you see that it's 6-18 shooting.
Only player on the team got double digit rebounds. Weird.

 

Guy like WB and Melo are uber talented so they'll always have great nights. It's too bad they're getting paid 100% of the time though, they should have a knucklehead clause which only pays them the minimum for every game they cost the team.

 

Rondo is a significantly better point guard than Westbrook.

 

Westbrook flat out sucks as a point guard, thunder are going nowhere this season.

Semi final exit for sure with westbrook stinking it up game after game and kevin martin disappearing.

Too much KD to do.

Although Ibaka is really developing very nicely.

 

Westbrook has been exploring new levels of Westbrookness lately. He's better this season than he was last season. Was better last season than he was the season before...etc. etc.

If this keeps up, he will be the best point guard in all of basketball, hands down. There will still be people arguing for Rondo or Chris Paul or [some other guy here], but it will really be code for "I just like this other player more, for reasons" and will have nothing to do with how dominant Westbrook has shown himself to be.