Never. Barkley tried to bring it up that Rose was taking too many shots at a low percentage (remember he shoot 35% for his whole series) but Kenny and Webb shut that down by praising him and blaming it all on his teammates and the NBA Tonite other guy (Not Weiner) did the same and was shut down even faster for suggesting it.
Dude was 7-15 with 4 assists, 4 tos. I don't think that can be pointed out enough. Derrick Rise, since he has been mentioned, was 7-23 in his last game!
It is very clear who, and yes I am throwing the majority of the media in there, never watched the Thunder up until game 4 of the Nuggets series. Russ is a 22ppg 8 apg type point guard, never going to be in that Rondo vein of 10ppg 10 apg, don't expect it from him and that's not what got us here.
Again, it's FAR more complex than Russ just decided he wants the spotlight and wants to take all the shots. It's not that at all./ The Thunder run NO offense, or at worst a very primitive and predictable one. It's basically RUss standing with the ball up top and KD has to find a way to come to it, generally pin downs and curls, all action predicated on him setting his man up to get screen by our bigs.
Now, what happens when guys like Tony Allen, Shane Battier, Wilson Chandler are doing a good job keeping KD from breaking open to the ball (generally fouling but whatever) or when bigs get clever like Gasol did last round and start cheating into the passing lane and even doubling KD before the catch? Well, now you have Russ up top with the ball, 9 seconds left on the clock, and has to create a shot 1 on 1 now. There is no counter. There is no second option. Again, everything they do is VERY simple. Sometimes, well like twice, the big while try to cheat the high side to already be in the lane before KD comes off, which opens up a "slip" to the basket for Perkins, Ibaka, Collison, whoever is setting the screen. It's just a read though and not a play in itself, plus those guys hands still aren't such that you can do that 100% of the time if KD doesn't get open enough not to mention it's all about them making the read as much as Russell.
Then there's the middle of the high post isolation pick and roll play, Dallas made this famous. Well many times, KD doesn't set a strong enough screen on Westbrook's man (sometimes missing contact entirely) so it doesn't force the switch and he SUCKS, flat out SUCKS, at sealing his man behind him. He literally just stands there with his hand up in a spot and calls for the ball. He has improved on that this round because Stevenson and Marion aren't getting into him and pushing him enough, because otherwise it's easy to deflect attempted entry passes to KD.
Other times, KD either being tired or fed up with the bumping and grinding, just stands there and doesn't even avail himself to the ball and just floats around the 3pt line and watches. Again, so Russ tries to find out how to get him the ball for 15 seconds of the clock, that breaks down, now he has to "create" something himself. It is just the playoffs now so you're playing teams who study you, and teams are realizing you can make 1 good stop to ruin the play, and then Russ is vulnerable into having to try to save the possession, usually with drives so go help and/or pick up a charge.
As for the Rose comparisons, I still laugh because he is doing the exact same thing and again MUCH worst in many cases and his misses get swept under the rug. ESPN flashes the Men In Black eraser thing prior to Bull's highlights just in case anyone actually saw the whole game, then make a point to show you all of his makes, his 4 makes in 22 attempts, 7 in 23, 11 in 32, etc, usually a combo of duck behind screen jumpers, reverse layups, and acrobatic plays.
The media is trying SO hard to just stir up trouble. Hell, I thought Russ got traded last night by the ESPN guys the way they were talking.
We got here with him playing this way. He's taking a whole 2.5 shots more than he did in the regular season. He is a converted SG who never played point until he was drafted into the NBA, 3 seasons ago.
How many better options are there out there for the Thunder, ignoring the whole chemistry aspect and what it would take to get them?
If you can't get Chris Paul (assuming his knee doesn't scare you off), Deron Williams, or Derrick Rose, then you are getting worst. No I want no parts of Rondo or Nash or Billups.
edit: reshowing it now from like a milliopn different angles, he was CLEARLY not yelling at Scott Brook's. He said something like, "they're not running the #&*^ing play!" then a few seconds later, "Every God damned time!!"
