Early in the season when he tried taking a step back for melo and George, the team sucked. Then he took over and they started to win. He’s the type of guy that needs to be the focal point w all great role players around him.
Early in the season when he tried taking a step back for melo and George, the team sucked. Then he took over and they started to win. He’s the type of guy that needs to be the focal point w all great role players around him.
You cannot blame RW for melo sucking.
Most teams would kill for a George, melo, Adams as the surrounding casts. Even though I agree melo isn’t that good anymore but let’s not act he has dog shit around him.
Adams is a great role player. Melo is a negative. Â
Westbrook. Now he took the easy road, much like Lebron did twice, so he could win a title.
I think he plays his ass off but he is a star compiler and a loss to Utah in the first round is inexcusable. The problem with him is if he doesn’t have the ball, he is no threat. Which is why golden state wins so often as their 3 best players are more deadly off the ball then with it.
Things become stagnant when a guy dominates the ball as much as Westbrook does.
doesn't mean he should be hated. Its really strange.
He's an imperfect player who plays as hard as anyone in any sport, and does all the right things off the court. I'd rather lose with him than have all the ship jumpers join the team I root for.
grew up a big LeBron fan in high school and college. That stopped when he jumped ship to Miami. Shifted my focus to Durant who was really fun to watch in the early years with Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka. Then lost all interest in him when he left for GS.
how every player that either a.) left him this year or b.) joined him this year is doing:
1.) PG: Pretty much the same. I don't see how PG isn't the ideal Westbrook pairing, either. He's never gonna win you anything as first banana. He is a lethal off ball shooter, lockdown defender, and can run P/R in stretches.
2.) Oladipo: self explanatory
3.) Melo (not blaming this one on Westbrook)
4.) McDermott: had better seasons before/after Westbrook (also a good fit offensively with RW)
5.) Taj Gibson: Better before/after RW
6.) Kanter: Wash
He doesn't make any player necessarily worse (except with other ball dominant guards like Oladipo or Waiters), but I don't see how he really improves anyone else . And the playoff success isn't there, I don't see how OKC sniffs a WCF again with this roster.
Westbrook. Now he took the easy road, much like Lebron did twice, so he could win a title.
I think he plays his ass off but he is a star compiler and a loss to Utah in the first round is inexcusable. The problem with him is if he doesn’t have the ball, he is no threat. Which is why golden state wins so often as their 3 best players are more deadly off the ball then with it.
Things become stagnant when a guy dominates the ball as much as Westbrook does.
I'm pretty sure I was defending Westbrook on this board to you last year. Seeing how the season play out and his team now, I have come a complete 180 on him. I used to think he was the best PG in the NBA, but it doesn't seem he will ever adapt to his flaws on offense or become the shutdown defender he has the tools to become.
My problem isn't really with Westbrook, but with the people who glorify the triple double. It was an absolute joke he won the MVP award last year because he averaged a triple double.
He was a worthy MVP candidate last year. Every single night Â
he carried his team last year. The difference from when he was on the court to off was staggering. Take him off that team and they are one of the worst in the league. How is he not an mvp candidate? Because you don't like tiple doubles?
The guy plays balls to the wall every single second he is on the court. He def has flaws and he needs a specific type of supporting cast, but he's a beast that can do it all.
I look at the Derrick Rose Bulls that were always good, but never good enough as the type of team RW needs. Just really good role players that play insane defense. I think he'd have the best chance with that sort of supporting cast.
My problem isn't really with Westbrook, but with the people who glorify the triple double. It was an absolute joke he won the MVP award last year because he averaged a triple double.
It definitely wasn't an "absolute joke". You may not have agreed with it, but he was extremely important to that team and had one of the more unprecedented seasons, stat-wise, in the history of the game.
Ultimate stat complier
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 9:17 am : link : reply
Who doesn't make anyone around him better.
How the fuck does somebody lead the league in assists and not make anyone better?
I think westbrook gets hated on for his success more than anything else. I just don't get it. Everyone wants a guy like Westbrook to come around, then after having an extended run of excellent play over several seasons, he gets shit??
Maybe saying it was an absolute joke was too strong. I'm just not a Russ fan. I don't think you win titles with guys like him.
I'll ask again, why? What does being a fan of his have to do with winning titles? Are you that much of a front runner where you can only like guys who win titles?
Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding you, and if I am I apologize. But this seems completely illogical.
Maybe saying it was an absolute joke was too strong. I'm just not a Russ fan. I don't think you win titles with guys like him.
I'll ask again, why? What does being a fan of his have to do with winning titles? Are you that much of a front runner where you can only like guys who win titles?
Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding you, and if I am I apologize. But this seems completely illogical.
He doesn't HAVE to win titles, I just don't think you can. But that's very true, doesn't have to do with being a fan of his.
It's just frustrating seeing someone that talented and athletic yet can't create success on his own. He's like in pickup there's always that guy that's dunking and hitting 3s and scares the shit out of you, but it doesn't end up being bad because he holds onto the ball too long, bricks deep 3 after deep 3 and half-asses defense.
Ultimate stat complier
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 9:17 am : link : reply
Who doesn't make anyone around him better.
How the fuck does somebody lead the league in assists and not make anyone better?
I think westbrook gets hated on for his success more than anything else. I just don't get it. Everyone wants a guy like Westbrook to come around, then after having an extended run of excellent play over several seasons, he gets shit??
Fans are fucking odd.
He gets a ton of assists because he ALWAYS has the ball and usually has it for the majority of the shot clock so it becomes ISO ball. So either he shoots it or passes to a teammate who is forced to shoot it. However there are too many times where his teammates don’t get touches for series at a time.
I don’t see anyone knocking his effort or intensity. I just don’t think he makes his teammates better. Sabonis and oladipo showed they were misused last year. I mean oladipo proved that Russ had someone to rely on last year but didn’t come around with sharing the ball with.
Maybe saying it was an absolute joke was too strong. I'm just not a Russ fan. I don't think you win titles with guys like him.
I'll ask again, why? What does being a fan of his have to do with winning titles? Are you that much of a front runner where you can only like guys who win titles?
Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding you, and if I am I apologize. But this seems completely illogical.
I'm a huge fan of Anthony Davis, who has never won a playoff game so I don't just like guys who win titles.
My problem with Russ is that he strikes me as someone who knows, at all points of the game, what his stat line looks like. I just don't like guys like that. That's me.
And yes, he's a tremendous talent. Anybody arguing otherwise is a fool.
that make no sense, and show absolutely having zero clue about basketball and how a team might structure themselves to achieve maximum results with their roster.
RE: a lot of VERY generic comments from the haters Â
that make no sense, and show absolutely having zero clue about basketball and how a team might structure themselves to achieve maximum results with their roster.
What results has Westbrook led them to the last 2 years? A first round KO and battling for a playoff spot this year?
I get that you have friends in high places but you speak down on a lot of people’s here because of their opinions. No one here said Westbrook stinks. No one. I don’t like his game. I don’t like hardens game either. And tI like to think I know a thing or 2 about the game.
Westbrook probably has played with more talent than anyone in his generation..... and the time when he had his most team success.... he played robin.
RE: a lot of VERY generic comments from the haters Â
that make no sense, and show absolutely having zero clue about basketball and how a team might structure themselves to achieve maximum results with their roster.
Please illuminate us all knowing one.
RE: a lot of VERY generic comments from the haters Â
that make no sense, and show absolutely having zero clue about basketball and how a team might structure themselves to achieve maximum results with their roster.
Very generic response with little evidence or facts.
Let me know when Westbrook takes KD-less OKC to a WCF...or when the Nets make the playoffs in 6 years.
"culture" of the Thunder when Westbrook had a co-star. He didnt like it and pushed the better player away. In his 9 or 10 years, he has played with at least 4 guys who are going to be in the HOF, and others who were all-star players.
But he snarls when he dunks and talks shit when he is down 20 on teams. Whats not to love?
there were generic comments ...
"he makes nobody better" --- i think steven adams would disagree
"stat compiler"... umm the team is set up for him to get stats, like harden, and others.
he plays in the west... they lost their best defender, they won 48 games- not amazing but not terrible by any means.
people talking about playing with the most talent? we have the corpse of melo, and a great Paul George- and Stephen Adams... but we arent talking about playing with Draymon, Steph, and Klay.
the thunder have zero depth. Oladipo didnt mix well with westbrook because they are both ball dominant... this is not some shocking revelation.
there were generic comments ...
"he makes nobody better" --- i think steven adams would disagree
"stat compiler"... umm the team is set up for him to get stats, like harden, and others.
he plays in the west... they lost their best defender, they won 48 games- not amazing but not terrible by any means.
people talking about playing with the most talent? we have the corpse of melo, and a great Paul George- and Stephen Adams... but we arent talking about playing with Draymon, Steph, and Klay.
the thunder have zero depth. Oladipo didnt mix well with westbrook because they are both ball dominant... this is not some shocking revelation.
Ok, Adams is better with Russ and no one else. Thats the whoel argument. And he didnt work with Oladipo because he didnt let Oladipo get the ball.
Who led the NBA in time/possession in the NBA this year? Westbrook with 9.2 seconds possession. He was 3rd last year with the same amount of time.
The offense is set up like it is because that is what HE wants. He wants the ball in his hands - ALWAYS. That is not good for a team with championship aspirations. It could be argued its why Lebron has had difficulties at times in the playoffs because he had the ball too much (to Lebrons credit, he shares it much, much more with his teammates).
Before this season, I read a lot of people on BBI and national experts saying the Thunder could contend in the West. Not necessarily win it, but be factors. They arent factors IMO, depsite being a 4 seed. Yes their bench sucks (their bench sucked too last year until some went to have success with other teams.) He isnt a good defender because he is worried about getting rebounds and pushing the pace.
Hes a great talent that fills out the stat sheets. But at this rate - does anyone really believe he will lead his team outside the 2nd round of the playoffs? I dont see it.
has played with a lot of talent in his career. To suggest otherwise is just wrong. People say he has to do it because "he has to do or he has no one else" - well how do we know if he wont let them?
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It’s not that he is a bad player. He’s very good, but I think he cares about Russ more than OKC.
You cannot blame RW for melo sucking.
You cannot blame RW for melo sucking.
Most teams would kill for a George, melo, Adams as the surrounding casts. Even though I agree melo isn’t that good anymore but let’s not act he has dog shit around him.
Lmao guy is a legend
In the realm of superstars nobody plays harder night in and night out
Love the guy's approach to competition. That is mostly lost in today's NBA.
In the realm of superstars nobody plays harder night in and night out
Agree, the Westbrook knocks are pretty damn funny. He's one of the few bright spots in a league decimated by injury and collusion.
Durant is a huge pussy, so there's that. Lost all respect for him leaving for Golden State, of all places.
I'd rather root for a guy like Westbrook than the other superstars that jump ship. Give me 12-15 years of Westbrook over 3-5 years of Durant.
Guy led the league in assist but he's a "me" player. Unreal
I think he plays his ass off but he is a star compiler and a loss to Utah in the first round is inexcusable. The problem with him is if he doesn’t have the ball, he is no threat. Which is why golden state wins so often as their 3 best players are more deadly off the ball then with it.
Things become stagnant when a guy dominates the ball as much as Westbrook does.
He's an imperfect player who plays as hard as anyone in any sport, and does all the right things off the court. I'd rather lose with him than have all the ship jumpers join the team I root for.
He left for the same reason LeBron did. It was "too hard".
Nevermind that OKC had GS down 3-1 in the West finals and Durant was part of the reason they didn't close.
I used to like Durant as much as I like Westbrook. I thought he was more like Westbrook. Then he took the shortcut.
It's very hard to take the NBA seriously.
1.) PG: Pretty much the same. I don't see how PG isn't the ideal Westbrook pairing, either. He's never gonna win you anything as first banana. He is a lethal off ball shooter, lockdown defender, and can run P/R in stretches.
2.) Oladipo: self explanatory
3.) Melo (not blaming this one on Westbrook)
4.) McDermott: had better seasons before/after Westbrook (also a good fit offensively with RW)
5.) Taj Gibson: Better before/after RW
6.) Kanter: Wash
He doesn't make any player necessarily worse (except with other ball dominant guards like Oladipo or Waiters), but I don't see how he really improves anyone else . And the playoff success isn't there, I don't see how OKC sniffs a WCF again with this roster.
I think he plays his ass off but he is a star compiler and a loss to Utah in the first round is inexcusable. The problem with him is if he doesn’t have the ball, he is no threat. Which is why golden state wins so often as their 3 best players are more deadly off the ball then with it.
Things become stagnant when a guy dominates the ball as much as Westbrook does.
I'm pretty sure I was defending Westbrook on this board to you last year. Seeing how the season play out and his team now, I have come a complete 180 on him. I used to think he was the best PG in the NBA, but it doesn't seem he will ever adapt to his flaws on offense or become the shutdown defender he has the tools to become.
The guy plays balls to the wall every single second he is on the court. He def has flaws and he needs a specific type of supporting cast, but he's a beast that can do it all.
I look at the Derrick Rose Bulls that were always good, but never good enough as the type of team RW needs. Just really good role players that play insane defense. I think he'd have the best chance with that sort of supporting cast.
It definitely wasn't an "absolute joke". You may not have agreed with it, but he was extremely important to that team and had one of the more unprecedented seasons, stat-wise, in the history of the game.
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 9:17 am : link : reply
Who doesn't make anyone around him better.
How the fuck does somebody lead the league in assists and not make anyone better?
I think westbrook gets hated on for his success more than anything else. I just don't get it. Everyone wants a guy like Westbrook to come around, then after having an extended run of excellent play over several seasons, he gets shit??
Fans are fucking odd.
I'll ask again, why? What does being a fan of his have to do with winning titles? Are you that much of a front runner where you can only like guys who win titles?
Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding you, and if I am I apologize. But this seems completely illogical.
Quote:
Maybe saying it was an absolute joke was too strong. I'm just not a Russ fan. I don't think you win titles with guys like him.
I'll ask again, why? What does being a fan of his have to do with winning titles? Are you that much of a front runner where you can only like guys who win titles?
Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding you, and if I am I apologize. But this seems completely illogical.
He doesn't HAVE to win titles, I just don't think you can. But that's very true, doesn't have to do with being a fan of his.
It's just frustrating seeing someone that talented and athletic yet can't create success on his own. He's like in pickup there's always that guy that's dunking and hitting 3s and scares the shit out of you, but it doesn't end up being bad because he holds onto the ball too long, bricks deep 3 after deep 3 and half-asses defense.
Quote:
Ultimate stat complier
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 9:17 am : link : reply
Who doesn't make anyone around him better.
How the fuck does somebody lead the league in assists and not make anyone better?
I think westbrook gets hated on for his success more than anything else. I just don't get it. Everyone wants a guy like Westbrook to come around, then after having an extended run of excellent play over several seasons, he gets shit??
Fans are fucking odd.
He gets a ton of assists because he ALWAYS has the ball and usually has it for the majority of the shot clock so it becomes ISO ball. So either he shoots it or passes to a teammate who is forced to shoot it. However there are too many times where his teammates don’t get touches for series at a time.
I don’t see anyone knocking his effort or intensity. I just don’t think he makes his teammates better. Sabonis and oladipo showed they were misused last year. I mean oladipo proved that Russ had someone to rely on last year but didn’t come around with sharing the ball with.
Quote:
Maybe saying it was an absolute joke was too strong. I'm just not a Russ fan. I don't think you win titles with guys like him.
I'll ask again, why? What does being a fan of his have to do with winning titles? Are you that much of a front runner where you can only like guys who win titles?
Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding you, and if I am I apologize. But this seems completely illogical.
I'm a huge fan of Anthony Davis, who has never won a playoff game so I don't just like guys who win titles.
My problem with Russ is that he strikes me as someone who knows, at all points of the game, what his stat line looks like. I just don't like guys like that. That's me.
And yes, he's a tremendous talent. Anybody arguing otherwise is a fool.
What results has Westbrook led them to the last 2 years? A first round KO and battling for a playoff spot this year?
I get that you have friends in high places but you speak down on a lot of people’s here because of their opinions. No one here said Westbrook stinks. No one. I don’t like his game. I don’t like hardens game either. And tI like to think I know a thing or 2 about the game.
Westbrook probably has played with more talent than anyone in his generation..... and the time when he had his most team success.... he played robin.
Please illuminate us all knowing one.
Very generic response with little evidence or facts.
Let me know when Westbrook takes KD-less OKC to a WCF...or when the Nets make the playoffs in 6 years.
But he snarls when he dunks and talks shit when he is down 20 on teams. Whats not to love?
"he makes nobody better" --- i think steven adams would disagree
"stat compiler"... umm the team is set up for him to get stats, like harden, and others.
he plays in the west... they lost their best defender, they won 48 games- not amazing but not terrible by any means.
people talking about playing with the most talent? we have the corpse of melo, and a great Paul George- and Stephen Adams... but we arent talking about playing with Draymon, Steph, and Klay.
the thunder have zero depth. Oladipo didnt mix well with westbrook because they are both ball dominant... this is not some shocking revelation.
"he makes nobody better" --- i think steven adams would disagree
"stat compiler"... umm the team is set up for him to get stats, like harden, and others.
he plays in the west... they lost their best defender, they won 48 games- not amazing but not terrible by any means.
people talking about playing with the most talent? we have the corpse of melo, and a great Paul George- and Stephen Adams... but we arent talking about playing with Draymon, Steph, and Klay.
the thunder have zero depth. Oladipo didnt mix well with westbrook because they are both ball dominant... this is not some shocking revelation.
Ok, Adams is better with Russ and no one else. Thats the whoel argument. And he didnt work with Oladipo because he didnt let Oladipo get the ball.
Who led the NBA in time/possession in the NBA this year? Westbrook with 9.2 seconds possession. He was 3rd last year with the same amount of time.
The offense is set up like it is because that is what HE wants. He wants the ball in his hands - ALWAYS. That is not good for a team with championship aspirations. It could be argued its why Lebron has had difficulties at times in the playoffs because he had the ball too much (to Lebrons credit, he shares it much, much more with his teammates).
Before this season, I read a lot of people on BBI and national experts saying the Thunder could contend in the West. Not necessarily win it, but be factors. They arent factors IMO, depsite being a 4 seed. Yes their bench sucks (their bench sucked too last year until some went to have success with other teams.) He isnt a good defender because he is worried about getting rebounds and pushing the pace.
Hes a great talent that fills out the stat sheets. But at this rate - does anyone really believe he will lead his team outside the 2nd round of the playoffs? I dont see it.