A couple of weeks ago when ESPN’s Ric Bucher ranked Russell Westbrook ahead of Kevin Durant on his Top 10 NBA players list people went nuts, myself included. KD is on the short list of best players in the NBA. How in the world could he not be the best player on his own team?
The more I've thought about it, examined the different dynamics, and watched the last 7 or 8 Thunder games with those rankings in my mind, the more I think Bucher might be right.
I’m a huge Kevin Durant fan. I love the way he plays the game and how he handles himself both on and off the court. He's got one of the sweetest jump shots in NBA history and at 6'9" with a 7'5" wingspan, it's almost impossible to block. Watching him dominate games at Rucker Park last summer almost made the entire lockout worth it.
I am, however, slightly disappointed with how little KD has added to his game in what's now his 5th season. He's got the most lethal shot in the league but that's something he came in with as a rookie. He hasn't developed a low-post or perimeter back to the basket game yet and doesn't have that lightning quick first step that allows players like LeBron, Derrick Rose and Westbrook to get to the rim at will. Physical defenders can not only take him out of his game but stop him from getting the ball all together like Tony Allen did for long stretches in the Playoffs last year.
It took Dirk Nowitzki the better part of a decade to add a back to the basket game to his repertoire and he became impossible to defend one-on-one when he did. Hopefully Durant will do the same thing in the next few years because right now he's somewhat of a one trick pony-even though that pony is a thoroughbred sniper.
But this isn’t about what Durant doesn't do as much as it is all of the things Russ does.
Despite coming into the league as a defensive specialist with little offensive skills other than explosiveness and the ability to finish at the rim, Westbrook has developed into an extremely good all-around player. He's improved his game every year to the point where now, in his 4th season, he's a triple-double threat every night.1
He's got a respectable 3, a cold-blooded pull up jumper, can take any player in the league off the dribble and finishes with the best of em. He's a tremendous rebounder2 and one of the best defensive players in basketball.3
Even as an All-Star, I don't think Russ gets the credit he deserves. KD dominates the game in one aspect, scoring. Westbrook can dominate a game defensively, by creating plays for teammates and by scoring (he already has 10 games with 28 points or more this season). His decision making and shot selection aren't always perfect but outside of Steve Nash and Chris Paul, whose is? Besides, the way he's evolved over his first couple years, it wouldn't surprise me if that's the next facet of his game that he polishes.
Even as an All-Star, I don't think Russ gets the credit he deserves. KD dominates the game in one aspect, scoring. Westbrook can dominate a game defensively, by creating plays for teammates and by scoring (he already has 10 games with 28 points or more this season). His decision making and shot selection aren't always perfect but outside of Steve Nash and Chris Paul, whose is? Besides, the way he's evolved over his first couple years, it wouldn't surprise me if that's the next facet of his game that he polishes.
The biggest knock on Russ is his performances late in games when, in reality, we should be calling him Mr. 4th Quarter. Westbrook not being clutch is one of the biggest misconceptions in basketball. Sure, at times, he takes bad shots and sometimes tries to do too much himself, but I think it gets blown out of proportion. He only averaged half a turnover more than Derrick Rose last year (with more assists and more boards) and Rose was the MVP.
KD makes his fair share of mistakes too, everyone does. Last night, tied at 97 with 1:50 to go, he dribbled the ball off his foot and turned it over. Down 2 with 30 seconds to go, Durant took a contested 3 that Doc Rivers would call a "hero shot." Kobe Bryant—who's widely considered to be the guy you want with the ball in crunch time—has made a career of taking 20 foot fade-aways over double and triple teams.
The point is, every player makes mistakes, and most take bad shots. I don't think it's fair or just justifiable the way people have been acting as though KD is infallible and Russ is out of control. His shot selections are no worse than Durant's, Kobe's or Wade's and surprisingly, he makes more of them than they do.
KD makes his fair share of mistakes too, everyone does. Last night, tied at 97 with 1:50 to go, he dribbled the ball off his foot and turned it over. Down 2 with 30 seconds to go, Durant took a contested 3 that Doc Rivers would call a "hero shot." Kobe Bryant—who's widely considered to be the guy you want with the ball in crunch time—has made a career of taking 20 foot fade-aways over double and triple teams.
The point is, every player makes mistakes, and most take bad shots. I don't think it's fair or just justifiable the way people have been acting as though KD is infallible and Russ is out of control. His shot selections are no worse than Durant's, Kobe's or Wade's and surprisingly, he makes more of them than they do.
In Clutch Time (last 5 minutes of a 5 point game or less) this season Westbrook at 50% (18/36), is shooting better than Kobe Bryant 28% (15/54), Kevin Durant 43% (22/51), Dwyane Wade 35% (7/20), LeBron James 33% (7/21) and Derrick Rose 27% (4/15).
I'm not sure if people truly understand just how good Russell Westbrook really is.
Kevin Durant is the guy you want taking the game winning shot. And those are plays are the ones that will live forever in highlight reels and You Tube clips. But Westbrook is the guy you want defending the guy taking that last second shot. It's not as glamorous, but making the big defensive play wins games and championships too.
I'm not sure if people truly understand just how good Russell Westbrook really is.
Kevin Durant is the guy you want taking the game winning shot. And those are plays are the ones that will live forever in highlight reels and You Tube clips. But Westbrook is the guy you want defending the guy taking that last second shot. It's not as glamorous, but making the big defensive play wins games and championships too.
He might not ever develop the passing skills of point guards like Steve Nash, Chris Paul and Jason Kidd, but he still dishes out some pretty dimes. Besides, the way Russ dominates every other aspect of the game, it wouldn't be fair to the other 29 teams if he did.
As great of an all-around player as he is, if I were starting a franchise today I don't think I would be able to take Westbrook over Durant, but the fact that it's even debateable speaks volumes to how good he really is.
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