Game Thread GAME# 57: THUNDER @ BLAZERS - FEBRUARY 27, 2015 - FRIDAY, 7:30 PM (PST), ESPN & CSNNW

A man of few words, but well said!

BNM

 

Another level of selfishness.

As I mentioned in my other responses, the dude jacked up more shots than his next three highest scoring teammates combined. What I didn't mention is that Westbrook MISSED as many FGA as his next FIVE high scoring teammates combined.

In other words. Russell Westbrook scored 39 points on 26 missed FGA. Kanter, Waiters, Augustin, Ibaka and Singler scored a combined 67 points on a combined 26 missed FGA. That's not just selfish, that's just plain stupid.

Westbrook padded his own scoring, rebounding and assist stats, but cost his team the game. Good for him! That's the Russell Westbrook I like to see. I'm hoping he's the one that leaves OKC for the Lakers. Take his big salary and big ego to Lala Land when he can torpedo that franchise's championship hopes for the next decade.

BNM

 

I think you may be confusing Boob with moobs.

I'm not sure if I should be flattered or insulted. Probably a little of both.

BNM

 

Although I cant stand Westbrook its amazing that he can hog the ball and take that many shots and still get double digit assists. But all that does is tell he how amazing he could be if he didnt play like a bonehead.

 

The Westbrook hate reminds me of the Rasheed detractors. No he's not a perfect basketball player and he has aspects of his game that really leave you wishing for more but if you had 5 Westbrooks or 5 Rasheeds on the court they would dominate the competition. A lot of the failures should fall on the coach and their lesser teammates.

The Thunder are terrible without Westbrook, just as the Blazers were terrible once they got rid of Rasheed.

 

Quoting myself...

You can't, not even close (I checked). Lillard's career high for FGA is 29 - in the 3OT win over SAS earlier this season. He scored 43 points on 16 - 29 shooting in 52 minutes.

Here's the real difference between Lillard and Westbrook. In his entire NBA career, Damian Lillard has attempted 25, or more, FGA six times (exactly twice per season). In those 6 games, he's shot 76 - 159 (.478 FG%). This season alone, Russell Westbrook has attempted 25, or more, FGA twelve times - including 5 games of 30, or more FGA - something Damian Lillard hs never done in his entire NBA career. In this 12 games, Westbrook has shot 136 - 353 (.394 FG%).

So, in 231 career games, Damian Lillard has called his own number 25, or more, times 6 times (that's once every 38.5 games).

In 44 games this season, Russell Westbrook has called his own number 25, or more times 12 times (that's once every 3.66 games).

Russell Westbrook is a chucker without a conscience that hurts his team with his selfish play. Damian Lillard is a team player that helps his team win games.

BNM

 

The Thunder weren't terrible without Westbrook last year. They were 25-11 and Durant played the best ball of his career.

BNM

 

Does Westbrook sometimes shoot to much? Yes of course. He even admitted it himself postgame last night. Cherry picking his bad game stats and ignoring his good game stats gives a misleading representation of his true impact to his team. Westbrook has the 4th best PER in Ferbruary since 1997 at 34.2. He is second in the NBA for PER this season with 29.2 behind Anthony Davis. The Thunder started the year 4-12 without Westbrook. Before last night he had carried them to 7 straight wins.

Watching the Thunder play is sometimes very frustrating offensively. They start players like Andre Roberts that have zero offensive game just as in years past they'd start Kendrik Perkins. There is terrible player movement. Westbrook is forced to play 4 vs 5 on offense. If Westbrook was on a team such as the Rockets that spaced the court with effective weapons he might be averaging an efficient 35 ppg.

Westbrook is one of the most physically gifted specimens to ever play the game of basketball. Instead of harping endlessly on his few weakness in his game I suggest you watch the positives of his game that nobody on the planet can match. People made all of the same arguments about Michael Jordan being a ball hog that couldn't win in his younger days.

 

I used the 44 games he actually played in for the calculation. He's also jacked up 30 or more shots five times this season (once every 8.8 games), something Damian has NEVER done in 231 career games.

BNM

 

Actually no, they didn't. Early in his career Micheal Jordan was the ONLY legitimate scoring option on his team and shooting above .500 FG%. He wasn't freezing out a four-time scoring champ and reigning MVP while shooting .432 FG%.

And, for the record, Russell Westbrook is now in his 7th NBA season. That can hardly be considered "early in his career".

BNM

 

Jordan was older than Westbrook when he won his first title. Westbrook got to the finals before Jordan and if you don't think his physicality was a prime reason they blew by Tony Parker and the Spurs you didn't watch that series.

 

Westbrook has played with the best scorer on the planet his entire career and has ZERO titles to show for it. Comparing him to Michael Jordan is beyond ridiculous.

I'd be willing to wager that the ONLY way Westbrook ever wins a title is as a late career, coattail riding role player (ala Gary Payton in Miami). He will never lead a team to a title the way Jordan did, let alone 6 of them.

BNM

 

It wasn't westbrook alone blowing by the spurs after the spurs took a 2-0 lead. It was Harden/Sepholoshia as well. The spurs couldn't match up athletically when the thunder went small. But it wasn't Westbrook alone, which is what people are saying.

When Westbrook locks in defensively he's a top5 player in the league. I don't know if there is a better defender in the league when he wants to be that.
Last season after he got owned by CP3 in the playoffs... He then turned around and took it @ CP3 and owned him back. Personally shutting down the best PG in the game today and a future hall of famer.
But when Westbrook decides he's going to let Bledsoe nearly drop a triple double on him...
AND let Bledsoe be super efficiant.. shooting the ball... That's inexcusable.
Bledsoe isn't a top 15 pg in the league... and he's undersized.
Westbrook should be in the running from defensive MVP every year.
But he's not because he plays hero ball and doesn't care about defense until he gets criticized by the media.

Watching Westbrook play is like watching Romo or Cutler.. Wondering when they'll make a mistake.