Russell Westbrook

Westbrook is on a young team, he's young, at times he trys to do to much, but can you blame the guy for sometimes goin straight to the whole when he coming down court when he got jason not so young kidd on him, c'mon it aint that serious westbrook just trying to help his team win, durant needs to come off the perimeter so much and go inside where he always has a mismatch, that would open up there offense, mall ball movement, right now they playn too much one on one wall between harden, westbrook and durant.
 
Westbrook made the all nba 2nd team as 22 year old & he still has plenty of upside. You don't trade PG's like that for an injury prone center. C'mon people.
 
Westbrook made the all nba 2nd team as 22 year old & he still has plenty of upside. You don't trade PG's like that for an injury prone center. C'mon people.
 
I dont get the knock on Westbrook at all, im a big Derrick Rose fan, but more than that im a basketball fan, and be clear anyone who knows basketball can see the only difference between Rose and Westbrook is more consistent shooting and decisions making, trust me you will see westbrook come back with a more improved shot and decision making next year. Now look at it from his perspective you see Rose doing what he doing and winning mvp, westbrook is gonna push the issue the talent is very similar. Be clear Durant is not the end all be all in basketball he so good but never talked about with the upper players as a great closer or overall leader, just a scorer, and easily shut down by physical defenders. what man you know out here who knows they really have the capability to be the best gonna not take his shot to be the best because other ppl say he not the number 1 option on the team.
 
I dont get the knock on Westbrook at all, im a big Derrick Rose fan, but more than that im a basketball fan, and be clear anyone who knows basketball can see the only difference between Rose and Westbrook is more consistent shooting and decisions making, trust me you will see westbrook come back with a more improved shot and decision making next year. Now look at it from his perspective you see Rose doing what he doing and winning mvp, westbrook is gonna push the issue the talent is very similar. Be clear Durant is not the end all be all in basketball he so good but never talked about with the upper players as a great closer or overall leader, just a scorer, and easily shut down by physical defenders. what man you know out here who knows they really have the capability to be the best gonna not take his shot to be the best because other ppl say he not the number 1 option on the team.
 
Originally Posted by 651akathePaul

^ Well, that just contradicts the "job" of a PG. Competing to be the best player on a team isn't, nor should it be, the primary focus for a PG when you have a teammate like Durant.

Closing doesn't necessarily mean best player 

Point.

But, what if that "contradiction" is exactly what the Thunder need. In Westbrook's defense, could you imagine a Derrick Rose and Tracy McGrady kind of balance if Westbrook were to be an assertive first option and Durant played second fiddle? I mean.. like people are saying, these kids are 22. Only Russ knows how good Russ  thinks Russ will be. Pardon my redundancy.
 
Originally Posted by 651akathePaul

^ Well, that just contradicts the "job" of a PG. Competing to be the best player on a team isn't, nor should it be, the primary focus for a PG when you have a teammate like Durant.

Closing doesn't necessarily mean best player 

Point.

But, what if that "contradiction" is exactly what the Thunder need. In Westbrook's defense, could you imagine a Derrick Rose and Tracy McGrady kind of balance if Westbrook were to be an assertive first option and Durant played second fiddle? I mean.. like people are saying, these kids are 22. Only Russ knows how good Russ  thinks Russ will be. Pardon my redundancy.
 
There's nothing wrong with having a 1 and 1a option a team. It's a good thing. However, this team has so much growing to do as we've stated that they're young. The question is, do Durant and Westbrook grow together, or do they grow apart?

Westbrook was afforded an opportunity to play with one of the best rising stars in the game. That doesn't take away from Westbrooks capabilities or potential as a great player, it just means that his role in the offense as a PG is a little different.

So, maybe if he was on the Bulls instead of Rose we look at Westbrook in a higher light, but what if Rose was partnered with Durant? We probably think of Rose a little differently. He'd still be a great player, but his role in the offense would be a little different.

The moment Westbrook competes against Durant instead of with Durant, is the moment this team starts to stunt their potential.
 
There's nothing wrong with having a 1 and 1a option a team. It's a good thing. However, this team has so much growing to do as we've stated that they're young. The question is, do Durant and Westbrook grow together, or do they grow apart?

Westbrook was afforded an opportunity to play with one of the best rising stars in the game. That doesn't take away from Westbrooks capabilities or potential as a great player, it just means that his role in the offense as a PG is a little different.

So, maybe if he was on the Bulls instead of Rose we look at Westbrook in a higher light, but what if Rose was partnered with Durant? We probably think of Rose a little differently. He'd still be a great player, but his role in the offense would be a little different.

The moment Westbrook competes against Durant instead of with Durant, is the moment this team starts to stunt their potential.
 
I don't know about the rest of the world, but I'd love to have him starting for the Lakers. He's $!#$**# 22 years old. Big $!#$**# whoop, he makes some mental mistakes. Who the hell doesnt at 22? Jesus $!#$**# christ Im not even a thunder fan but I cant understand how so many people can hate on such a young, talented kid for messing up. Big deal, its a sport. No ones perfect. Let the kid grow, he still has a lot to learn. He's pretty much too talented for his own good sometimes because he hasn't learned to slow himself down.
But if his game is a problem, [CP] I'd LOVE to have this problem on my team [/CP]. Dudes expect perfection just because hes in the WCF, being there doesnt mean you are perfect. Damn, yeah he made stupid plays and yeah he is costing the team...but big deal, his team wouldn't even be in the WCF let alone the playoffs without him. So give him some damn time.

/End Rant.
 
I don't know about the rest of the world, but I'd love to have him starting for the Lakers. He's $!#$**# 22 years old. Big $!#$**# whoop, he makes some mental mistakes. Who the hell doesnt at 22? Jesus $!#$**# christ Im not even a thunder fan but I cant understand how so many people can hate on such a young, talented kid for messing up. Big deal, its a sport. No ones perfect. Let the kid grow, he still has a lot to learn. He's pretty much too talented for his own good sometimes because he hasn't learned to slow himself down.
But if his game is a problem, [CP] I'd LOVE to have this problem on my team [/CP]. Dudes expect perfection just because hes in the WCF, being there doesnt mean you are perfect. Damn, yeah he made stupid plays and yeah he is costing the team...but big deal, his team wouldn't even be in the WCF let alone the playoffs without him. So give him some damn time.

/End Rant.
 
My whole point in making this thread was to just point out that it's not ALL Westbrook's fault when the Thunder struggle. Sometimes he goes into jack em up mode, but sometimes I think Brooks doesn't put the players on the floor in the right situations to succeed. IMO it's not about guys being 1 and 1a, it's about reacting to the game accordingly. Defenses have a game plan to shut down your number 1 guy, so there will be times where your second best player will have to step up. I wish OKC would do a better job of running their offense through Durant down the stretch...but they have to do a better job of just running the same predictable screens and curls for him especially when the screener isn't a threat offensively (Perkins, Ibaka, Collison). 
I've said many times that it's more Brooks fault than anything. I think he's one of those good coaches, but definitely not a championship level coach. Look at Phil Jackson, as bad as Fisher played this year or playoffs no way he'd bench the guy for an entire quarter. IMO that goes beyond momentum, that's trying to prove a point. It's too risky, especially with a young player...could mess with their confidence, creates unnecessary media attention to the situation and also you risk losing that player. 
 
My whole point in making this thread was to just point out that it's not ALL Westbrook's fault when the Thunder struggle. Sometimes he goes into jack em up mode, but sometimes I think Brooks doesn't put the players on the floor in the right situations to succeed. IMO it's not about guys being 1 and 1a, it's about reacting to the game accordingly. Defenses have a game plan to shut down your number 1 guy, so there will be times where your second best player will have to step up. I wish OKC would do a better job of running their offense through Durant down the stretch...but they have to do a better job of just running the same predictable screens and curls for him especially when the screener isn't a threat offensively (Perkins, Ibaka, Collison). 
I've said many times that it's more Brooks fault than anything. I think he's one of those good coaches, but definitely not a championship level coach. Look at Phil Jackson, as bad as Fisher played this year or playoffs no way he'd bench the guy for an entire quarter. IMO that goes beyond momentum, that's trying to prove a point. It's too risky, especially with a young player...could mess with their confidence, creates unnecessary media attention to the situation and also you risk losing that player. 
 
Originally Posted by ballislife32688

 Durant is not the end all be all in basketball he so good but never talked about with the upper players as a great closer or overall leader, just a scorer, and easily shut down by physical defenders. 

laugh.gif
 
Originally Posted by ballislife32688

 Durant is not the end all be all in basketball he so good but never talked about with the upper players as a great closer or overall leader, just a scorer, and easily shut down by physical defenders. 

laugh.gif
 
I'll take him on the Warriors. Westbrook for Curry and the #11, get it done Logo.
 
I'll take him on the Warriors. Westbrook for Curry and the #11, get it done Logo.
 
Originally Posted by Im Not You

Originally Posted by ballislife32688

 Durant is not the end all be all in basketball he so good but never talked about with the upper players as a great closer or overall leader, just a scorer, and easily shut down by physical defenders. 

laugh.gif
hope you watched the game last night I doubt your laughing so hard now. Like I said put in check by physical defenders
 
Originally Posted by Im Not You

Originally Posted by ballislife32688

 Durant is not the end all be all in basketball he so good but never talked about with the upper players as a great closer or overall leader, just a scorer, and easily shut down by physical defenders. 

laugh.gif
hope you watched the game last night I doubt your laughing so hard now. Like I said put in check by physical defenders
 
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