Your opinion on Westbrook

What's your opinion on Westbrook? I saw his insane RPG stats for a player his size and position but then watched a YouTube video saying his team mates let him grab rebounds to get triple doubles and boost his stats. That's just stupid and selfish. What do you think? Just imagine a good rebounder being on the same team for years and lowering his stats because of Westbrook...messing up an entire career.

https://youtu.be/HYKolm75h8Y

I think when you look at DJ in Dallas he came in as a rebounder and didn't like Luka taking rebounds away from him, I guess Iam ok if two teammates are fighting for the same rebound in a crowd but I think it looks bad when just two teammates are fighting each other for it. They seem to of given up fighting Westbrook for rebounds in OKC which is surprising with Steven Adams there you would think he be the more dominant force on the boards and not bow down to Russell

What's your opinion on Westbrook? I saw his insane RPG stats for a player his size and position but then watched a YouTube video saying his team mates let him grab rebounds to get triple doubles and boost his stats. That's just stupid and selfish. What do you think? Just imagine a good rebounder being on the same team for years and lowering his stats because of Westbrook...messing up an entire career.

https://youtu.be/HYKolm75h8Y

Billy Donovan himself stated that it's a team strategy. When Westbrook gets the rebound, he flys down the court, he's a one man fastbreak. The Kanter and Adams "Boxing out for him" that happened in his first season he averaged a triple double was for that reason.

Most of the rebounds in that video are legit by Westbrook, so many shouldn't even be on that video. The ones where it's only him, Sabonis or Adams in the paint and nobody around, they WANT Westbrook to get that so he can book it up the court or make a quick decision, that's smart basketball. There are many, many rebounds on that video where the bigs are out of position, or the ball isn't even at arms length, and Westbrook swoops in and grabs it and starts the break.

I've watched many Thunder games, and while Westbrook is erratic at times (one too many red bulls), he 100% sets the tone for that team, and a big part of that is how he starts the offense off of rebounds and gets them out on the break. He is the best passer on the team, the fastest/most athletic player, and the most explosive when he has it going.

The person who made that video clearly is just trying to discredit Westbrook, and turned a blind eye to all the legitimate rebounds on that video. Anybody who knows a lick about basketball and is being realistic, sees that most of the boards on that video were legit, and the ones where Sabonis or Adams put arms up, was because no opposing players were around and they wanted Westbrook to book it up the floor. Having Adams, or another big touch the ball and make a pass to Westbrook are two steps that slow them down and are completely unnecessary if there is no threat for OKC to lose the rebound (Not opponents in the area).

Westbrook drives me nuts sometimes, because he will gun at the end of the game from deep mid or three, and lose his team games. He's not gunning to put up points, he is trying incredibly hard to win the game. His shot selection and out of control drives is what holds Westbrook and the team back at times. When he is right, and his shot selection is better, he is easily one of the best players in the league, and a big part of that is his energy, enthusiasm, leading by example, and his ability to do so many things on the floor.

His floating defense for rebounding is more problematic.
His shoots selection is random, his consistency too. Off the ball, he's very average.
He's over 30, but still often play brainless.
It's a shame because he's already amazing, but he could really be one of the greatests.

If it's part of team strategy, I'm fine with it. Looks like some kind of "Westbrook and friends" style...I understand the advantage of grabbing a rebound and going for the fastbreak quickly. However, if he just wanted his teammates to leave rebounds to him in a hunt for records, it would be selfish. Like David Robinson scoring 70something to get the scoring title and not Shaq back in the 90s.
The game has really changed with guards grabbing rebounds and big men dishing out assists. In the 90s Olajuwon, Ewing, Robinson, Shaq, Mourning had the ball in the paint, passed the ball to open shooters when double-teamed...now big men are not needed anymore or are only used for special roles for special minutes...everyone's fast, athletic, can shoot the ball. Like superman on steroids.
The center used to be the center of a play, not the sole tower walking around with fast forwards dashing by.

I am old.

The game has really changed with guards grabbing rebounds and big men dishing out assists. In the 90s Olajuwon, Ewing, Robinson, Shaq, Mourning had the ball in the paint, passed the ball to open shooters when double-teamed...now big men are not needed anymore or are only used for special roles for special minutes...everyone's fast, athletic, can shoot the ball. Like superman on steroids.
The center used to be the center of a play, not the sole tower walking around with fast forwards dashing by.

So many things wrong this statement. Not worth touching, though. I'm done with back and forths on here.

Underrated player for critics belittling his achievement of averaging a triple-double for two consecutive seasons (and a third one on the way it seems). Getting those numbers in 80 games every season is no joke.
It's not like Westbrook plays in a league full of 6'5 white guys like Oscar Robertson or Wilt Chamberlain did.

Since 1980, the average height in the NBA has basically stayed stagnant at 6'7".

During the 60s and 70s, it hovered around 6'5" 1/2 and 6'6".

In Westbrooks MVP season he had very impressive clutch/4th quarter stats

His regression in efficiency knocks him down a little in the rankings. playing in an era with many great PG's there's no shame if he doesn't make all nba

Since 1980, the average height in the NBA has basically stayed stagnant at 6'7".

During the 60s and 70s, it hovered around 6'5" 1/2 and 6'6".

No, I meant that instead of having classic big men (7' 0'') as centers and PGs bringing the ball, some teams use a whole lineup up 6'7'' players, all quick, atheletic and good shooters.

Since 1980, the average height in the NBA has basically stayed stagnant at 6'7".

During the 60s and 70s, it hovered around 6'5" 1/2 and 6'6".

No, I meant that instead of having classic big men (7' 0'') as centers and PGs bringing the ball, some teams use a whole lineup up 6'7'' players, all quick, atheletic and good shooters.

I know exactly what you meant, you said "like supermen on steriods", and talked about how ALL are quick, athletic and good shooters.

A lot wrong with those statements, and I am not going down that road. My height statistics were in response to ShadowGrin, which he was pretty close about the league average in height when Wilt and Oscar played.

Russ became only the second player to record a 20-20-20 triple-double game today. Wilt was the other, in 1968.

I think I heard that he only needs 3 more assists to confirm a third straight season averaging a triple-double as well.

He might not ever win a title, but he is doing some remarkable things and is fun to watch.

Just watching the game now and he's already got 10 assists in the first quarter, he's just on another level right now

Russ became only the second player to record a 20-20-20 triple-double game today. Wilt was the other, in 1968.

I think I heard that he only needs 3 more assists to confirm a third straight season averaging a triple-double as well.

He might not ever win a title, but he is doing some remarkable things and is fun to watch.

He did it for Nipsey