Russell Westbrook: A Man Who Just Can't Win
Sunday, May 22, 2011 at 11:34AM Joe Simmons 
Make no mistakes about it; Russell Westbrook is a great player. There is no doubt he is one of the 15 best players in the NBA. Westbrook just happens to play with a top 5 player who everyone thinks should be getting the majority of the shots. How do you tell a man with a shooting guard mentality that he should be second fiddle, when he has the better match up most of the game? Kevin Durant is a talent. He does things offensively that only a few players in the league can actually do, but he is not a one on one off the dribble type player. Durant is limited in that area, but make no mistake about it, the man can score and score in bunches.
Westbrook can do it all. He has the ability to create for his teammates and himself. He has one of the quickest first steps in the league and he is almost un-checkable when he is operating from the right side of the floor because he finishes with his left so strong. Westbrook has one problem though. People want him to be something that he is not. People want Russell Westbrook 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 conference 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.
Stay Breezy ~ I’m Out!
Reader Comments (3)
I'm as big a rabble-rouser of Kyle Watson as anyone, but you're right; dude can't win, and it's not his fault every single time shit hits the fan. He handled being benched in the fourth quarter of Game Two like a man, and sure, he's not taking care of the ball against the Mavs right now, but he's doing the best he can. He hasn't been a complete bonehead like he was against Memphis and Denver. It's one thing to crucify the young man, but it shouldn't be done just for the hell of it, which seems like the direction it's going right now.
I agree with Kenny. At some point the media and everyone has to let it go. No point in crucifying the young man any more than they already have.
Co-Sign with Kenny. This time I think it is the media that is trying to screw him, but he is handling things. He and Durant reminds me of the Gary Payton/ Shawn Kemp tandem from the old Seattle days.