Ariza was efficient for a while there too... I actually like Westbrook, because I remember the era of scoring PG's fondly for some reason. No one can deny that there is a large contingent of Westbrook fanboys on this site that overrate him at every opportunity.
A lot of it comes down to matchups. I would rather see Westbrook have the ball in his hands when Tony Parker, Curry, Lillard, Irving, Lowry, and Beverley are guarding him over Kawhi, Iguadola, Batum, LeBron, Derozan and Ariza guarding Durant. On the flip side, I would rather see Durant have the ball in his hands when Tony Allen (he can still just shoot over him), Chandler Parsons, and Matt Barnes (still too slow) are guarding him over Conley, Rondo, and Paul on Westbrook. I can where not necessarily having a cohesive 1-2 punch works simply because the second guy outclasses his match up more than the first option.
Lillard & Aldridge: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0lV367P10Rw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Harden & Howard & Smith: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/h7wEfFVXix4?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Dragic & Bledsoe & Isaiah Thomas <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hdlnk7m6ajc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Paul & Griffin <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XLlWyDmtII8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Curry & Thompson <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/z5VKzzffX9I?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Wall & Nene <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xxSxP_iLr4w?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Love & Kyrie <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KPvYEJXzrTk?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I'll tell you what. I'm not the best judge on a lot of more subjective topics, since I don't watch a lot of regular season games outside of the Rockets. But for Westbrook, it's almost not subjective. You just look at his FG% and 3P% from throughout his career, and he's not in the class of Durant. I just texted a friend on the topic, and he says Westbrook is a top 5 player. What gives? Of course, the friend also says Cousins isn't a top 10 player, so I'm beginning to just think the friend is an idiot.
Something is up in Clipperland. CP3 doesn't look the same to me this year. Can't quite put my finger on it. Blake's jumper has improved over last season but he doesn't seem to put out the energy each and every game. There was a period in Jan/Feb last season where he went to another level and was a relentless beast. It could have been his permanent step into superstardom. Not so.
Honorable mentions: Butler (#2 SG in the NBA) and Gasol (left Kobe, and he is back to his old self). Wall and Beal Dragic and Bledsoe Davis and Evans I think Durant and Westbrook are great in as a sense that I want the ball in Durant's hands so he can take Paul Pierce one-on-one instead of Westrbook taking on Wall. I just want to see them work well together and they haven't been. Perfect example, look at Westbrooks numbers pre and post-Durant's return. Lillard and Aldridge always play well together, as do the splash brothers, Dirk and Ellis, anyone Pop throws on the floor together, Paul and Griffin etc. The rest (Hou, OKC, Mem, Tor, and CLE) don't play off each other as well. They play more iso when they need a bucket. How many times have you seen WB and even Durant just jack up a long jumper in the waning moments of the game? That's not efficient basketball and it is the reason none of these teams have won anything since 95.
At least our Batman is great at being Batman, because we don't have much of a Robin. Harden is good at carrying this team when they need a basket.
The heck, how do Durant and WB get the blame for lack of success for 2 decades? and then there's that guy who puts everyone to shame on his desire to iso late in games who won 5 of them.
Well, going back to their Seattle days they had Allen and Lewis were great shooters. Allen being the greatest shooter ever, and Lewis being one of the early 3/4 hybrid stretch 4s in the league. They did not play well off each other, but they still played better off each other than Durant and WB or Harden and Howard. This thread is less who has the best 2 players and more who has the best 1-2 scoring punch. Also, MJ is the greatest for a reason.
How do you diss Curry and Thompson by saying they will flame out in the playoffs and then list Paul and Griffin
What exactly how Westbrook stopped Durant from during? Definitely not scoring considering Durant has multiple scoring titles. And Westbrook hasn't kept OKC from winning any playoffs series
Westbrook was playing like an MVP, but his recent shooting: 3-19 5-21 8-23 5-13 6-23 He can't get even get up to 40% in the last 5 games. Durant has been struggling as well.
That is true. I guess I was sort of thinking that may be the case of a super strong Batman. Again, I'm no expert on Westbrook - but just relying mostly on stats (%'s) he doesn't seem to be at the top of the top.
If this thread was which team has best the duo then it is clearly OKC with Westbrook and Durant. The thread is which theam has the best 1-2 (scoring) punch. I do not think Durant and Westbrook play cohesively. If I am a coach, I WANT the other team to go to iso ball rather than run a play. Ibaka/Perkins running the pick and roll with Durant and Westbook just isn't as deadly as some of the others mentioned in the OP.
What other "duo" or "1-2" has had more success than Durant/Westbrook? Stop with the semantics. As JVG says, "You are what your record says your are." And he primarily means playoff record.
