Is anybody really a Russell Westbrook fan?

monstar1

monstar1

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Sep 1, 2011
I'm serious I just don't see what you can like about this guys game besides his dunks. 

I can understand if you are a Thunder fan and root for him by default.  But I don't understand how a person with a good understanding of the game could enjoy him as a player.

He has great potential due to his physical abilities and intensity but he uses those powers for evil not good.  He takes horrible shots, he drives to the hole out of control, and he turns the ball over trying to do too much.

I makes me sick to hear Derrick Rose get put in the same sentence also.  Westbrook will never be the player Derrick Rose is.  He just doesn't "get it".  Either he doesn't care and is selfish or he really thinks he's playing good basketball.  Selfish or Dumb.  Neither are attributes I want in a PG.  He doesn't bring the same mental stability every night.  Its either "oh I guess I'll play within the team" or "Man I going ham tonight IDGAF".  I'm tired of seeing dude drive into traffic and turn the ball over then yell at the refs.

Anyways lettuce discuss...
 
I am. Hopefully he figures out his role and settles in, but kid is supremely talented, just needs to learn how to control himself. I hope the light goes on someday.
 
He went from 15/5 on 40% shooting from his rookie season when he didn't look like a 4th overall pick at ALL, to 22/8, an all star appearance, & all-nba 2nd team in his third year. And he STILL has lots of room to grow. He's one of my favorite players.

His shot selection is overblown. I watched that MEM game, and with the exception of the two threes, everything else was inside the three point line. Either a midrange jumper with little defensive resistance or a shot in the paint. Can't complain there.

The other night against DAL, in the last 3 minutes he had a great dunk and one, a 17 footer, a steal, and another 17 footer. Virtually doubling KD's output in the period. That's a just a glimpse of what he can do. The guy is veeery good.
 
I use to feel this way about Ben Gordon... now dude is languishing in irrelevance

Watch out Russell, Russell watch out...
 
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I'm not a Westbrook fan. Great player, but like OP, I think the comparisons he gets to Rose are dumbfounded. I don't feel he's a top 5 PG like a good number of people think he is...he also benefits from playing alongside KD. That being said, of course I'd like him on my team...but for some reason I just don't feel he's as good as he's rated by many people.
 
Originally Posted by ill steelo

He went from 15/5 on 40% shooting from his rookie season when he didn't look like a 4th overall pick at ALL, to 22/8, an all star appearance, & all-nba 2nd team in his third year. And he STILL has lots of room to grow. He's one of my favorite players.

His shot selection is overblown. I watched that MEM game, and with the exception of the two threes, everything else was inside the three point line. Either a midrange jumper with little defensive resistance or a shot in the paint. Can't complain there.

The other night against DAL, in the last 3 minutes he had a great dunk and one, a 17 footer, a steal, and another 17 footer. Virtually doubling KD's output in the period. That's a just a glimpse of what he can do. The guy is veeery good.
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I'm pretty sure that he missed the second 17 footer. He had 5 points that quarter, that I remember.

Yes, you absolutely complain about his shot selection. It doesn't matter if he's wide open on those mid-range shots, the problem is, he connects on a very low%.

But what it comes down to, who do you want taking shots late in games, KD or Westbrook? There are two players who are the other two leading scorers who are SUPREMELY better perimeter shooters.

If I'm Scott Brooks, I say, "Kid, attack the basket, and if you don't have a shot, pass the goddamn ball."

His. Jumpshot. Is. Broke. Can it improve? Sure. Has it? No.

In the paint, and midrange, he's been shooting about 35-36% from both.

Until he starts showing some improvement, and taking care of the goddamn ball, I don't see what's so special about him.

I'd maybe say he's rusty because of time off, but this is the same exact team as he's had for the past few years, and he doesn't seem out of shape, it just seems like he's the same player he's been the past few years. He doesn't take care of the ball, he doesn't have any kind of versatility scoring the basketball outside of the paint, and he (along with the rest of the Thunder players) are very stagnant in half-court basketball.

That's my only problem with considering them contenders. Could they beat someone like the Mavericks in the Playoffs this year? Yeah, probably. But I don't think they'd fair too well against a team like Miami in a seven-game series.

Maybe I'm just a hater though.
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Give me some of James Harden though, good God, we want to talk about talented? THAT DUDE. I hate playing against him, but he's easily one of my favorite players to watch.
 
Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Originally Posted by ill steelo

He went from 15/5 on 40% shooting from his rookie season when he didn't look like a 4th overall pick at ALL, to 22/8, an all star appearance, & all-nba 2nd team in his third year. And he STILL has lots of room to grow. He's one of my favorite players.

His shot selection is overblown. I watched that MEM game, and with the exception of the two threes, everything else was inside the three point line. Either a midrange jumper with little defensive resistance or a shot in the paint. Can't complain there.

The other night against DAL, in the last 3 minutes he had a great dunk and one, a 17 footer, a steal, and another 17 footer. Virtually doubling KD's output in the period. That's a just a glimpse of what he can do. The guy is veeery good.
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I'm pretty sure that he missed the second 17 footer. He had 5 points that quarter, that I remember.
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Nope.

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Originally Posted by ill steelo

He went from 15/5 on 40% shooting from his rookie season when he didn't look like a 4th overall pick at ALL, to 22/8, an all star appearance, & all-nba 2nd team in his third year. And he STILL has lots of room to grow. He's one of my favorite players.

His shot selection is overblown. I watched that MEM game, and with the exception of the two threes, everything else was inside the three point line. Either a midrange jumper with little defensive resistance or a shot in the paint. Can't complain there.

The other night against DAL, in the last 3 minutes he had a great dunk and one, a 17 footer, a steal, and another 17 footer. Virtually doubling KD's output in the period. That's a just a glimpse of what he can do. The guy is veeery good.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure that he missed the second 17 footer. He had 5 points that quarter, that I remember.

Yes, you absolutely complain about his shot selection. It doesn't matter if he's wide open on those mid-range shots, the problem is, he connects on a very low%.

But what it comes down to, who do you want taking shots late in games, KD or Westbrook? There are two players who are the other two leading scorers who are SUPREMELY better perimeter shooters.

If I'm Scott Brooks, I say, "Kid, attack the basket, and if you don't have a shot, pass the goddamn ball."

His. Jumpshot. Is. Broke. Can it improve? Sure. Has it? No.

In the paint, and midrange, he's been shooting about 35-36% from both.
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16-23 feet, Russ shot 36% last season. KD was at 40%. A whopping 4% difference. Hardly noticeable. If we're taking 11 shots, 4/11=36% (Russ). 4.5/11=40%. So KD is basically hitting as often as Russ is from 17 feet, JA.

If Westbrook has the 17 footer, I have no issue with him taking it.
 
He can be exciting to watch at times, but no, I can't say I'm a fan. He seems extremely immature and selfish, and honestly I just hate his face. He just LOOKS like a me-first a-hole. He can take over a game at times, but is not a good PG at all in the sense of dictating the flow of a game and putting his teammates in position to score. He hasn't figured out how to play winning basketball on a consistent basis within the framework of any kind of system IMO. I know he averaged 8 apg last year, but so did Marbury throughout his career and he wasn't playing winning basketball either.

Westbrook is extremely talented but IMO he would fare a lot better on another team where he doesn't have to worry about a guy like KD getting his fair share.  I think he'd flourish in a Derrick Rose type role where he is the main option as a score first PG. Kinda like how Gil was in his prime, they both have the ability to pass it just enough to get by but not the natural PG skills or the right mindset to run a winning team like a CP3, D-Will, Nash, etc. When you have a guy like Durant who IMO is the best scorer in the league, a true PG would compliment his game much better. As it is now the Thunder have a ton of good players but their offense lacks an identity and gets off track too often because their go-to play is pretty much just iso(especially late in the game like in that Dallas series). If they had a real PG to settle things down instead of resorting to hero ball, they'd have won that series (Durant doesn't get a pass either though as he disappeared late in a couple of those games too). 
 
Not sure where you're getting your stats from, but in the paint (non-RA) Russ shot 35%, and 36% mid-range; Durant 43%, 42% respectively.

I have no idea why you'd be comfortable with Russell taking any kind of jumpers, 35-36% isn't something you want.

I do stand corrected on last night though.
 
Originally Posted by 5am6oody72

He can be exciting to watch at times, but no, I can't say I'm a fan. He seems extremely immature and selfish, and honestly I just hate his face. He just LOOKS like a me-first a-hole. He can take over a game at times, but is not a good PG at all in the sense of dictating the flow of a game and putting his teammates in position to score. He hasn't figured out how to play winning basketball on a consistent basis within the framework of any kind of system IMO. I know he averaged 8 apg last year, but so did Marbury throughout his career and he wasn't playing winning basketball either.

Maybe I'm crazy but I honestly think they would be better off with Harden running the point
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Dude seems like a much more instinctive/natural/willing passer than Westbrook is and he can score in buckets without being a ball stopper and disrupting their offensive flow.
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Russell+Perkins for Howard, do it Mitch!

Harden, Durant, Dwight.
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Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Not sure where you're getting your stats from, but in the paint (non-RA) Russ shot 35%, and 36% mid-range; Durant 43%, 42% respectively.

I have no idea why you'd be comfortable with Russell taking any kind of jumpers, 35-36% isn't something you want.

I do stand corrected on last night though.
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Russell Westbrook 16-23 feet

Kevin Durant 16-23 feet

Scroll down to shot locations, or the fourth table.

What's funny is that they shot the exact same % from 16-23 feet 2 years ago.

And last season, only a 4% difference, which is hardly a difference at all like I pointed out.

They hit at virtually same rate from 17 feet. If Westbrook has the shot, he should take it & not get killed for it since he & Durant shoot virtually identical %'s from that area.
 
I like Russell Westbrook.

He barely started running PG when he came into the league.

He was a 2 when he played at UCLA, so he never really got to develop PG skills until the NBA.

His skill set is there, he just hasn't had the time to mature into a true PG.  A coach like Scott Skiles would do wonders for him.
 
Superficially...not at all.
I'm a bandwagon hater when it comes to him.
I'll be like OH +#*! REFSBROOK YAMMED IT...but hate on him in the same breath.


I see him, I +!%% the
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.

Even if he does something, I'm like...that's nice...Fix your face before I fix it for you.

I wish Harden or KD did something instead.

Damn that boy is atheletic...and dumb.

I forgot he could pass...that won't last.

I wonder if D.Rose is playing tonight.

Man that Ibaka is nice, give him the ball.

Nice dunk...still too much angry ninja turtle in ya face.

Just pass the #!@$#%* ball to Harden or KD.


No...I don't enjoy him. I respect his ability, talent and impact on some games.
But Starbury me once, shame on you, Starbury me twice...
and I still got an old pair somewhere.
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The thing is Starbury still had wayyy more control, handle, team management skills than Russell. 

I know people called Stephon selfish but his play didn't always look that way.  Steph still enjoyed a good dime.  Its like Westbrook is on some Tony Montana steez
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People thinks he should shoot less, but in the end they will need his scoring, he just needs to settle down.

Guy is 23 years old man......23.
 
At this rate Westbrook is going to be the downfall of the Thunder as a team and going to be the downfall of Durant becoming an even better player.
 
Originally Posted by Deuce King

At this rate Westbrook is going to be the downfall of the Thunder as a team and going to be the downfall of Durant becoming an even better player.
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Durant has reached his ceiling though. If they put together a team where he had to score 35 he could do it, but he wouldn't be efficient at it.
Russell and Rose have the same general problem though. They over penetrate too often. Rose makes up for it with acrobatics, Westbrook relies on calls because he doesn't try and be acrobatic as often. What I'm dumb founded by is that the thing that had people talking in the early season about Westbrook being better is now the thing that makes him worse.
 
Originally Posted by gangsta207therevolution

Originally Posted by Deuce King

At this rate Westbrook is going to be the downfall of the Thunder as a team and going to be the downfall of Durant becoming an even better player.
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Durant has reached his ceiling though.  
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You think there's no room for growth or improvement on Durant's end as a player??  

Russell and Rose have the same general problem though.  They over penetrate too often.

I disagree somewhat, Rose over penetrates and tried to score because he has to for the sake of his team and the outcome of the game, Russell on the other hand doesn't have to as he has one of the leagues's best scorer's on his team and good team support offensively.  That's something that Rose doesn't have.
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That's the first time I've heard that Rose overpenetrates. The usual argument against him is that he doesn't penetrate enough and never gets to the free throw line.
 
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And I always told my people that Westbrook is not a point guard.  I wanted the Thunder to get Love, Gordon or yes Bayless
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.. But, still pondered as to why you you would force this guy to be a point when that is everything he is not.  His attitude is getting lame too.  And now with Harden proving to be a stud, there is only one ball to share.  They need a facilitator.  This dude is facilitating his own buckets ..
 
Nope and I have been saying it since the summer. He isn't going to improve his frame nor athletic ability.
Really his total game resides on the strength of his jumper.

All Derrick does is avoid contact which is why he doesn't get calls.
 
You want him to facilitate, but who else is going to score besides Harden and Durant.....
 
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