Are Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook Better Than LeBron James and Dwyane Wade?
It’s hard to even fathom such a statement one year ago.
Heck, it’s hard to fathom this statement even a week ago.
But are Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook a better duo than LeBron James and Dwyane Wade?
The Oklahoma City Thunder‘s tandem is quietly taking over the NBA. The two are well-known All-Stars who are trying to push their games to the next level. They’re young, talented and full of passion.
Oklahoma City has become a top title contender, and the guys running the show are only 23 years old! That’s right, they’re kids. The pair is young but nothing about their game is immature. The guys play with intelligence, spark and extreme urgency.
The great thing about Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook is their effort night in and night out. They give a maximum effort and find ways to play big every game.
This tends to be the opposite for the opposing duo of James and Wade.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are future Hall of Famers who have very few flaws, but the troubling thing is their lack of urgency, even at their age.
One would think the OKC duo is the elder of the bunch by their play. The Heatles duo often starts games dry and rarely finishes with the Thunder’s zeal. When OKC takes a loss, they come back with a vengeance. When Miami loses a big game, they tend to let it negatively affect them the next night.
When OKC was embarrassed in Utah a week ago, Durant was very upset. The next game the L.A. Clippers felt the wrath of the Thunder.
Miami also suffered an infamous loss to the same Jazz earlier this season, only to be destroyed by the L.A. Lakers the next game.
Sure, Westbrook and Durant have their issues, but so do Miami’s guys, and who would want their problems?
If I’m a Thunder fan, I would be happy Russell Westbrook is not timid about shooting the ball. He misses sometimes, but who doesn’t? The guys in South Beach, meanwhile, can’t figure out who wants to shoot!
The tide seems to be shifting, however fleeting.
Everything this season has pointed to a younger, hungrier duo shocking the guys in Miami.
I would love to answer the question of who is the best, but unfortunately, that time has not quite come.
Only in the playoffs will this question be atoned for, when it matters most.
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What Russell Westbrook Must Learn from Chris Paul to Become a Better Pro
Russell Westbrook has the potential to stand with Chris Paul and Derrick Rose in the conversation for best point guard in the game. He could look to Chris Paul for three lessons that could help him make that step.
First, let’s establish some things about Westbrook that are positive so as to not come across like a “hater.” Westbrook is an extraordinary athlete whose speed and explosiveness are on par with Derrick Rose. He also has a work ethic that is far underrated and unappreciated. He already is a top-five point guard in the game.
Westbrook is a deserving two-time All-Star for a reason. He’s worked hard to make his game one of the best in the league. With a few more improvements, he can be in the discussion for the best in the league.
I have no relationship with Westbrook, and therefore have no position to psychoanalyze him the way that Skip Bayless arrogantly does, so I’m not going to try to do that. All I can do is look at and analyze his game.
There are times where his game suggests something about him. He plays as though he’s more intent on being a star than being a winner. The lessons he could learn from Paul would make him more of a winner and, in the process, more of a star.
First, he needs to learn to measure his shooting. Particularly this year, he has tried to make himself more of a scorer and less of a passer. This year, his shots are up from 17.0 last year to 19.0 per game. Those two extra shots have resulted in only 1.9 more points.
This year, Westbrook is scoring just 1.25 points per field-goal attempt. Compare that to 1.34 points per attempt by Chris Paul. Part of that is that Paul is a better shooter. However there’s also something to be said for selection. Paul doesn’t force shots, he takes them.
Second, he needs to learn to pass more. While Westbrook’s shooting has gone up, his assist numbers are way down. He’s averaging nearly three full assists fewer this year than last (down from 8.2 to 5.4). His assist percentage is down from 42.7 percent to to 29.6 percent.
Meanwhile, Chris Paul has an average of 8.4 assists per game and and an assist percentage of 41.7.
This isn’t about ability; it’s about mentality. Both guards are asked to score in their systems. I don’t fault point guards for scoring. Westbrook is forcing shots when the pass is available, seemingly resorting to the pass only when no shot is ready.
Paul, on the other hand, looks to pass and takes the shot when needed.
Take the example of the screen cap below. Westbrook has two better options than shooting here. He can pass the ball into the post to Serge Ibaka or he can pass it out to the wide-open Durant for the three.
Rather than do either of those things, he takes the least efficient play and goes with a step-back jumper.
Finally, he needs to commit to defense. Somehow Westbrook has earned an undeserving reputation as a good defensive player, though his defensive numbers are somewhere between average and below average. His points per play (ppp) against is .86 and his opponent’s player efficiency rating (OPER) is 14.5.
Compare that with an opponent ppp of .74 for Chris Paul and an OPER of 13.4.
When Paul is on the court, the Clippers give up 3.9 fewer points per 100 possessions. When Westbrook is on the court, the Thunder defense just gives up .5 fewer points, even though he’s usually on the court with three players who are primarily defensive specialists.
The thing about Westbrook is that it’s not about whether he can play defense, but whether he does play defense. He plays outstanding defense in the fourth quarter when he needs to. The Thunder give up only 97.9 points in the fourth quarter. They give up only 93.5 points when the game is in clutch time.
At times, Westbrook just is too busy going for a big play rather than keeping track of his defensive assignment. As a result, he leaves his man wide open.
For an example, look at the screen cap below. First you see Westbrook leave Paul to set a trap, but in doing so, he completely loses track of Paul. In the second cap, you can see Paul taking advantage of that and drifting back to get a wide-open three.
Westbrook needs to adopt Paul’s full-time approach to defense rather than just playing defense at the end of the games.
If Westbrook can become more selective in his shooting, look for the best shot on the court from his teammates and become a full-time defensive payer whose head is in the game full-time, he’ll be ready to enter into the conversation for the best point guard in game with Chris Paul and Derrick Rose.
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The B-Side: On Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Substance Via Style
‘The B-Side’ is a recurring feature here at Bleacher Report that gives kudos to the unheralded: the brilliantly executed set that leads to a bland layup, the swarming coverage that causes a shot clock violation or even the phenomenal move that ends with a blown finish. Every night in the NBA is filled with plays that are noteworthy for a wide variety of reasons, and this space is set aside to enjoy the alternatives to the standard highlight—one clip at a time.
Despite the basketball world’s apparent compulsion to split the pairing of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook at the seams, the two Thunder stars have a fascinating stylistic chemistry.
Durant is as cool as they come—his personality is stitched into the fiber of his game, bleeding through with every glide down the court or smooth liftoff for a jumper.
Westbrook, fittingly, rides another extreme. Everything Westbrook is and does teeters on the edge of control; every performance seems as though it could easily end with 30 points, 10 turnovers or both, as his manic drives to the rim hold the potential for destruction, one way or another.
Many are apparently unsettled by that juxtaposition of styles, or more accurately, unsettled by Westbrook. He will always have his critics, and they will always have their very narrow view of what Westbrook is and should be.
Too often ignored is the fact that Westbrook’s on-court mania is much more of a blessing than it is a curse; that his vision, while imperfect, is still incredibly productive; and that deepest, darkest secret of them all—that Durant needs Westbrook far more than most know.
They’re a fitting tandem, and more important yet: a highly effective one. Their contrast (and James Harden’s mediation thereof) has come to define not only what makes the Thunder interesting, but also what makes them great.
It’s all essential, and no matter how both players change and evolve over the course of their careers, they may very well come to be defined by how they navigate the fascinating sea of tone and type that lies between them.
It’s as true in their standard arrangement as it is in this particular clip, where by way of a Portland live-ball turnover, Durant is transformed into something of a point guard. Yet in his swooping collect and stuttered gait, Durant somehow manages to mimic Westbrook without bearing any resemblance at all.
His elongated strides give the entire sequence a quieter feel, but Durant still succumbs to the temptation of the jump pass—that most cardinal of basketball sins which falls right in line with Westbrook’s duality.
The pass nonetheless finds its mark: a cutting Westbrook who had been working the baseline in a way all too familiar, attacking a defense’s absent back line with all of Durant’s speed and strength while only lacking his grace.
That the play ends with a miss is irrelevant; in 20 seconds, Durant and Westbrook switched hats for the hell of it, only to come out on the other side with their similarities cemented in difference.
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Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook carry Thunder past Nuggets
Kevin Durant scored 24 points, Russell Westbrook had 23 and the Thunder beat the short-handed Nuggets 103-90 on Thursday night.
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NBA: Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo, Devin Harris and Smartest Plays of the Week
Every night in the NBA, someone makes a terrible decision that plays into the hands of their opponent.
On the other hand, there are plenty of intelligent plays that simply don’t get enough credit on a night-to-night basis. Bleacher Report’s Ryan O’Leary takes a look at the smartest plays from this past week.
Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant had a chance to seal a victory from the free-throw line but missed his second attempt. He was bailed out by Russell Westbrook, who was fouled and sank his free throws to secure a victory.
We all know Rajon Rondo is one of the best all-around players in the league, and he showed off his intelligence against the Knicks this week when he dropped a pass off for Ray Allen for an easy bucket just before he attempted to challenge Carmelo Anthony.
Utah’s Devin Harris needed a big shot late against the Miami Heat and he got it as he pumped twice, got LeBron James in the air and sank a shot while drawing the foul.
Stay tuned next week for another episode of Smartest Plays of the Week, and don’t forget to let us know what plays you think were the smartest of the week in the comment section below!
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Russell Westbrook, Thunder rally late to beat Mavericks
Oklahoma City scored the final eight points to escape with a 95-91 victory vs. Dallas and run its home winning streak to 13 games.
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Kobe Bryant says everyone needs to lay off Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook was one of the most heavily criticized players during the NBA playoffs last season. If you had only seen the commentary on TV and Twitter, you would have thought he was some scrub off the bench who couldn’t play.
Kobe Bryant heard all the criticism and stood up for Russ after his Lakers lost to Westbrook’s Thunder Thursday.
“I don’t know what the media is doing out here, but everybody just needs to lay off of Russell,” Kobe said, according to The Oklahoman. “That’s a bad little dude, man. That’s a bad little dude, man. You guys are fortunate to have him. You guys have got two explosive scorers here. I like how he’s playing. He just has to continue to improve and do his thing.”
Though we got on Westbrook for showing poor sportsmanship after the playoff loss to the Mavericks last year, we felt he was singled out by the media and the criticism went too far. Times when he should have deferred to Kevin Durant but kept the ball instead led people to go overboard, and they lost sight of how good of a player he is. Luckily Kobe sees it and knows it. When it comes to crunch time, sometimes the studs have to be selfish with the ball.
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NBA Skills Challenge 2012: Russell Westbrook Leads Field at All-Star Weekend
The NBA‘s Slam Dunk Contest is all well and good, but the Skills Challenge has become a hot ticket at All-Star Weekend as well.
On Monday, the NBA released the roster for the 2012 Skills Challenge. It features plenty of big names, meaning hoops fans can expect to see a good show once again.
Via NBA.com, here’s the list of participants for this year’s skills challenge:
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
John Wall, Washington Wizards
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Deron Williams, New Jersey Nets
Stephen Curry won the Skills Challenge in 2011. He’ll attempt to become the third two-time winner in the event’s brief history, joining Steve Nash and Dwyane Wade. Given what we know about Curry’s `skillset, he’s a legit threat to get the job done.
You also can’t rule out Tony Parker and Deron Williams. Both of them are savvy veterans, and they are also two of the most technically sound point guards in the league. And remember, Williams has already won this thing before.
However, the most exciting player on the list has to be Russell Westbrook. He’s not dishing the rock as frequently this season as he has in the past, but no one can really question that Westbrook is having his finest season yet this year. He could easily take home the title.
The Skills Challenge will take place on Saturday, Feb. 25, a day before the All-Star Game.
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Russell Westbrook Dunks With Authority
This is not the first time that Russ Westbrook has dunked so hard… The Oklahoma Thunder guard absolutely annihilated the rim on Sunday during the Thunder’s game at home against the Denver Nuggets.
Click here to view the embedded video.
via @CJZERO
Article found on: Cosby Sweaters
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Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook Combine for 91 in Oklahoma City Win
In a battle between arguably the most dynamic duo in the league against the best all-around team in the league, Kevin Durant scored a career-high 51 points and Russell Westbrook had 40 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 124-118 overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets, which had seven players scoring in double figures.
Hidden in the high-scoring affair, Serge Ibaka also had a terrific game for the Thunder, capturing the first triple-double of his career with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocked shots. He also had a hand in the most important play of the game, where he blocked a driving Arron Afflalo in overtime to eliminate the possibility of a Nuggets comeback.
The Thunder could easily have lost with the balanced scoring Denver displayed, but with the game winding down and Oklahoma City down by five, Durant first hit a three-pointer, then made a strong move for the game-tying dunk in regulation that led to overtime.
Durant would surpass the 50-point mark for the first time in his young career with two free throws late in overtime to seal the game.
Perhaps what is most pleasing to coach Scott Brooks is not the high scoring displayed by his two best players, but how efficiently they shot to get the points. Westbrook and Durant were a combined 61.4 percent from the field.
Oklahoma City (24-7) has now won nine in a row at home.
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