2011-12: Kevin Durant FGA/M: 43-75 ::::::::: Russel Westbrook FGA/M: 22-66 It maybe overblown, but Durant is a career 46% shooter and Westbrook is a career 41%. He needs to give the damn ball to Durant more.
We just started the year don't worry. Westbrook will get much better, KD will get a little worse but still be good.
Unfortunately, the facts don't support your conclusions. First, the Rose comparison is a red herring. Different players, different teams, different systems. On the Bulls, Rose is CLEARLY their best option on offense. He is their primary scorer. No one else on that team is capable of being the number one scoring option on a championship contender. With Rose as their primary scoring option they had the best regular season record and made it to the NBA finals. Luol Deng was the Bulls second leading scorer and had a PER of 15.5. Do you really think the Bulls would be a better team if Derrick Rose deferred to Luol Deng more often? In OKC, Westbrook is paired with the number one scoring option in the entire NBA, the Westbrook has a higher usage rate than Durant. As you can see from my original quote, I was specifically referring to the way Westbrook froze out Durant during the 4th quarter of several playoff games last season. Westbrook also had a higher usage rate during the regular season (31.6%) than the league's leading scorer (30.6%), but the difference wasn't as glaring as it was during the playoffs. Here's a few key stats from last year's playoffs: Kevin Durant: PER = 24.1 TS% = 0.582 USG% = 29.0 WS/48 = 0.217 Russell Westbrook: PER = 19.6 TS% = 0.499 USG% = 34.4 WS/48 = 0.084 From these numbers, it is extremely obvious that Durant was a MUCH more effective scoring option than Westbrook during the playoffs. Westbrook was calling his own number WAY too often. And these numbers are totals for all playoff games. I'd LOVE to see the numbers just for the 4th quarters of close games. Those are the situations where Westbrook completely froze out Durant and cost his team the game on multiple occasions. Heck statistically, Westbrook wasn't even OKC's second best scoring option during last year's playoffs. James Harden was a far more efficient scorer than Westbrook, but with Westbrook dominating the ball, Harden didn't get nearly as many touches. James Harden: PER = 19.1 TS% = 0.634 USG% = 17.1 WS/48 = 0.193 I'm not claiming Harden is a better player than Westbrook, but he is a much more efficient scorer. A very big part of Westbrook's job as PG is to distribute the ball to his more efficient scoring teammates. With the two time NBA scoring champion and an efficient scorer like Harden on his team, there is no way Westbrook should have the highest usage rate on his team - and a ridiculously high one during the playoffs. It was almost like the whole 2nd team All-NBA selection thing went to his head. He was already a bit of a ball hog before that, but after that, it was like he suddenly thought he was "the man" and Kevin Durant was an afterthought. Don't believe me? Go back and look at the game logs for the 4th quarters of the playoff games the Thunder lost last season and see how many more shots Westbrook took than Durant, and the long stretches where Durant didn't get a single FGA. Westbrook was a total ball hog with the games on the line. He needs to come to grips with the fact that as long as him and Durant are both in OKC, he will be at best, Robin to Durant's Batman. If he keeps shooting as poorly as he is, he may very well be demoted to Alfred to Harden's Robin. BNM
"Fesenko no longer in Warriors' plans" He would not be a bad option if you wanted to add size. 7'1" 290. Plays a bit out of control IMO, but he not that bad..............
The guy flat out sucks. He had a PER = 5.3 last season. But, he could still end up as a Blazer. I call it the Harvey Grant effect. Fesenko has had some of his best NBA games against the Blazers. And by best NBA games, I mean 8 PTS/6 REB, 7 PTS/6 REB and 9 PTS/3 REB. BNM
He's a big body, he's relatively young and bigs are late bloomers. I'd take him for cheap at the end of my bench in emergency situations.
You are probbaly right or someone would have grabbed him by now. But he has looked decent against us....
Fesenko is a defensive mastermind. Seriously, go look at his advanced defensive stats, they are some of the best in the NBA. His offense is horrible, but he would be a far better option then Chris Johnson and give us the option of a different look from Kurt Thomas or Craig Smith. Right now when Camby is leaving the game teams are scoring in bunches against us.
But they do, statistically. You're complaining about a minor discrepancy in usage rate. From 29.3 usage in 2010 to a 27.8 usage rate 2011. All this screamin' and hollerin' is greatly exaggerated. What evidence do you have that this sample size is more appropriate? From the 2010 sample size, I want Westbrook dominating the ball. http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/OKC/2010.html What Westbrook did was take possessions away from Harden, Ibaka, etc. Which makes perfect sense, especially if Westbrook continues to improve in the future. And he is a much better ball handler than Durant, combine all of that and it makes the Rose comparison perfect actually.
Westbrook is the new type of PG that I loathe: Score first, score second, look to pass. Imagine how dangerous OKC could have been had they traded Westbrook for CP3.
Rubio is electric. He see's the pass that no one else see's. I'm starting to become a believer after always being skeptic.
I've watched him play all 3 games. He's been impressive for a rookie. Maybe the most impressive rookie.
that would be kemba walker EDIT or it was until he just went 1-9 tonight. was great for first 2 games.
