On all social media notes, people have a hate/hate relationship with Russell Westbrook. Sure he gets a little out of control sometimes, but make no mistakes about it; Russell Westbrook is a great player. No one can really argue against the fact that he is one of the 15 best players in the NBA. Russie just happens to play with a top 3 player who everyone thinks should be getting the majority of the shots.
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Kevin Durant deserves the ball. As much as any other super star in the league. But how do you tell a point guard with a shooting guard mentality that he should be second fiddle, when he has the better match up most of the game? When you look at the Heat's roster, there isn't a player on it with the foot speed and explosion of Russell Westbrook. He can post up little guards and blow by the big guards with relative ease.
Kevin Durant is a talent. He does things offensively that only a few players in the league can actually do. Make no mistake about it, Durant can score and score in bunches. Durant is the centerpiece, but Westbrook is the flatware that makes the settings look great. When he scores and distributes, he is a menace and makes life miserable for anyone trying to guard him.
For some reason everyone wants Russie to be a traditional point guard. I’m not sure why guys on the major sports networks refuse to give the man the credit he deserves. All he does is receive criticism and lack of adoration from analyst after analyst when in fact he is a key cog in the Oklahoma City Thunder machine.
True he is different, but Westbrook can do it all. He has the ability to create for his teammates and himself. He has the quickest first step in the league (even when Derrick Rose is healthy) and he is almost un-guardable when he is operating from the right side of the floor because he finishes with his left so strong. I can honestly say that you will have a hard time finding anyone as explosive as Russie when he takes that burst towards the basket.
However, Westbrook has one problem…people want him to be something that he is not. People want him to be Steve Nash, a pass-first point guard who scores only if the team needs it.
Taking that aggressive behavior away from Westbrook makes him average at best. People don’t understand how well Westbrook and Durant compliment each other. It always seems that when one of them is off, the other picks up the slack. My question is why are people questioning a team’s play when they are in the NBA finals? The formula got them this far, why try and change the recipe now? The answer is simple; it’s not traditional.
The problem with pro sports is that everyone wants vanilla. Everyone wants traditional measures. Nobody wants to step outside the box and change the formula for success. It’s one of the reasons why everyone will overdraft sorry seven foot big men who will never make it in the league over a proven six foot six guy who is an in between player with a lot of game.
The Thunder knew what they were getting when they drafted Westbrook. If they didn’t they would have drafted another point guard a year later instead of James Harden. They knew what they were putting together. All of a sudden now people are raising questions so you begin to question your formula. Once you start questioning the formula then nobody is going to want to sample your product. People need to leave Westbrook alone, he can’t change over night. If his style doesn’t fit, they need to address it in the off season. However, I don't see any of that coming any time soon. If it does happen, the Thunder will get a lot more than a first round pick for a talent like him.
Stay Breezy ~ I’m Out!
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