Russel Westbrook is as important as Kevin Durant to OKC

Yes and they just handed the Celtics their 3rd loss haha without Durantula

 

In their first 12 games, Westbrook has played better than KD. Over the course of the full season, that will likely reverse itself. The key is whether Westbrook has kicked the inconsistency issue once and for all. If so, the Thunder could be a very dangerous team.

KD will also solve his shooting issues before long.

 

They will never be a dangerous team if they continue having too many ISO plays. Their offense sucks, far too simple.

 

Yes he is, and he is very good.

DD

 

Agree with you. I think Scott Brooks is the most overrated coach in the NBA. Maybe you can blame some of it on them being so young. Here are the ages of their top 8 rotation players: 22, 24, 21, 21, 27, 23, 26, 22. Forget average age of all players on the team. This has to be the youngest playing rotation in the NBA. Perhaps this is why their offensive structure is so poor. Maybe there are too many guys still figuring out what they can do.

Whatever the reason, until OKC develops crisper, less predictable half-court sets, they will not reach whatever potential they have.

 

I was truly surprised at how lost the Thunder were without Durant.

How many possesions in a row did the thunder go without a bucket? I understand that Durant is your man in that moment, but geez...any typoe of a plan B....at all?

 

it's not brooks' fault. they have no legit post game. they don't have great 3pt shooters. their best player is an average passer. therefore, they are a perimeter-oriented team. it's hard to be unpredictable when you are a perimeter-oriented team.

 

I think Westbrook is extremely overlooked with KD there...i think he does more then kd a lot of the times..i love kd..but russ deserves more respect.

 

lets' trade for him

 

wow, for roughly mle, he's a steal

 

Coaching isn't just X's and O's. Keeping a team that young and inexperienced motivated in the right ways is a task in itself. Maybe Durant is the pied piper keeping them in line, but both Durant and Westbrook have grown tremendously under Brooks.

 

you are clearly basing this off of watching the 4th quarter of one game. they were playing without KD and green for gods sake. they offense usually has more movement and there is a lot more they can do when they have KD to draw so much attention. offense has not been a problem at all for OKC.

 

He's untouchable.

 

The Thunder need to let go of Jeff Green.

As evidenced by the Celtics - Thunder game (and by the Lakers - Thunder series), the Thunder need, NEED a legit C to seriously compete for the championship.

No idea if this is will work, but maybe Green + filler to the Grizzlies for Gasol?

Randolph can work the 5 down in Memphis, allowing Green to start at the 4.

And I think both Gasol and Green are on their rookie contracts, but I could be wrong.

 

I don't believe even Memphis is stupid enough to trade another Gasol. He's untouchable. Agree with you about Jeff Green, except I want to see what he could do off the bench for the Thunder. Ibaka has proven to me he should stay in the starting lineup. He is a much better compliment to Durant than Green and his upside is tremendous. Green's ideal role would be to provide energy and some scoring off the bench. If he can't handle the demotion, they should cut bait.

 

Meh, I was just stating a scenario; the Thunder need a C, though, for sure.

And you never know with Memphis; they COULD be stupid enough to trade Marc. XD

I still don't think the Thunder, even if Green pans out playing behind Ibaka, can compete with the Lakers though.

If I remember correctly, Green was decent in their series with the Lakers last year, and yes, the Thunder have playoff experience now, but until the Thunder get a bigger / taller frontline, all the heart they can muster won't get them past the yellow and gold, much less whoever the East throws out.

Why Jeff Green? Well, aside from Durant and Westbrook, I think other teams would covet him the most, out of that entire team.

 

Westbrook is a rising star in this league. I'm jealous in general of the thunder. They have youth and a solid foundation. They just need a low post presence. Remember when posters here thought we were gonna be better than the thunder? Lol

 

Learned from 2K that Westbrook was around 5'9" as a freshman in high school.

Was really slow and really developed late.

A late bloomer.

What a player!

There is no way they win that game with only Durant instead of Westbrook.