Russell effing Westbrook

spearsy23 · Post #1 » by **spearsy23** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 6:28 am

I've been going through several boards checking and I just want to say how amazing it is to have our guy be THE Storyline in the NBA right now. We're a small market team and we've been blessed to get to watch some amazing players already in our short history, but even KD's MVP performance last year wasn't generating buzz like this. I'm ecstatic to be a fan of this team, I love all of the guys who are here (I've even grown to tolerate Dion) and am happy when they get praise, but It's different with Russ. There has been so much sh*t thrown at him ever since Harden emerged as our 6th man, it's been constant criticism and blame, our failures were always because of him and our successes always in spite of. And still, every day he has gone out and given everything he had, the one thing you would never question is how much he cares. So I just want to say, to the player who plays every day like he has to prove the world wrong: you don't have to prove anything to us, we know exactly how great you are, and it's about time the rest of the world caught up.

Post #2 » by **bondom34** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 6:49 am

I love the new avy. I want to thank Russ too. This is just an unreal ride for the second straight year, but this is even more fun. Thanks Russ, we all love ya, and appreciate it.

Post #3 » by **bondom34** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 6:50 am

And give the man the bleeping MVP now.

kd 35 · Post #4 » by **kd 35** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 7:01 am

He's the most exciting player in the league and it's not even close. I love the tenacity and swagger he plays with. He's ferocious with the ball in his hands, which is a little odd to say about a basketball player. The NBA is full of world class athletes but he still blows past these defenders like they are wearing concrete shoes. He's simply on another level.

This roll he's on is unprecedented and if he continues playing this well, he will have earned the MVP. The hype is real. He still has some critics on the GB that don't seem to watch his games but we all know he's carrying his team right now.

Los5782 · Post #5 » by **Los5782** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 10:16 am

Shiiiiiiiooooott... I'm a 6ers fan, but man ... I've known for awhile that Russ is a beast, on a whole 'nother level .... like legit other level... think he's been underrated for awhile... people are seemingly taking notice now.... I watched the game last night N whooot boy he's ascending. Scary to think, this guy has seemingly been seen as a Robin to KD's batman for some time before, at least to a portion of fans.... Russ is a franchise guy all on his own. His ferocity is a treat & experience to witness.... having a guy like that on a team, is something special... Russ is in overdrive all the time, the competition struggles to keep up with him; he's like literally a monster.... he's the most intimidating presence on the court in the NBA I think. He's my #1 choice right now for MVP.

mrpeach1985 · Post #6 » by **mrpeach1985** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 2:06 pm

Every morning at work, me and the Head Chef (also a Thunder fan) talk NBA. And every morning, our conversations turn to Westbrook, and how god damn awesome he is, especially the last 6 weeks or so. Not having access to every game (NBA Pass has not yet been purchased, but i'm hugely toying with the idea) I rely on the Thunder APP, for updates/highlghts. So, waking up to see that he's got yet ANOTHER Triple Double, got me buzzing before my day even started. Hands down, without a shadow of a doubt, my all time favourite player. I thank my boss everyday, for getting me back into Basketball, and for telling me to check Thunder out. Mannnn, I got to get the Peake, to see this dude play, in the flesh!!

big_ticket · Post #7 » by **big_ticket** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 2:55 pm

westbrook is on a tear..beast mode

ThadMan · Post #8 » by **ThadMan** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 4:54 pm

He is in absolute beast mode! Also his shot selection has improved significantly! When he takes less 3s and goes for midrange his game is on fire! I have almost even grown to love the free throw line pull up!! What were his numbers from playoffs last year? Cant remember off top of my head but he has pretty much continued that run, and he was the best player in the playoffs imo. Dudes insane.

ThunderCeltic · Post #9 » by **ThunderCeltic** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 5:33 pm

HeartSouloma · Post #10 » by **HeartSouloma** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 6:46 pm

This is probably the best season WB ever played. That man is amazing..

Post #11 » by **Mamba4Goat** » Thu Mar 5, 2015 6:56 pm

How's Westbrooks defense been during his crazy stretch? Has it been affected at all?

TheGameWinner · Post #12 » by **TheGameWinner** » Fri Mar 6, 2015 3:33 am

Russell Beast Mode. Wow. Another 40 points

Post #13 » by **bondom34** » Fri Mar 6, 2015 3:35 am

We're really lucky as a fanbase.

ohio · Post #14 » by **ohio** » Fri Mar 6, 2015 3:40 am

what is going on who is moore

RainCity · Post #15 » by **RainCity** » Fri Mar 6, 2015 4:26 am

Am I the only one who notices that Russ really doesn't pass the ball during the 4th quarter, especially during close games? Shot after shot after shot, against the Suns, same story, against the Blazers, same story, against the Bulls, same damn story. I fear it's going to start alienating his teammates. Maybe this loss to the Bulls has me being overly critical, but I think it's probably for the best that his streak ended. I want the Russ that played against the Pacers. I'm venting. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the tear Russ has been on just as much as everyone else, but at some point as a true fan you have to be honest and critical of your own star players, even if it's not the popular thing to do. Someone calm me down, or tell me why I'm wrong or tell me of you agree, it doesn't matter, I just need to know what others are thinking. Thanks and Im sorry for the rant.

- RainCity

miltk · Post #16 » by **miltk** » Mon Mar 9, 2015 3:27 am

well, the way westy is expanding, he might end up making o.k.c. the center of couture, like milan or sumthin'

miltk · Post #17 » by **miltk** » Mon Mar 9, 2015 3:30 am

RainCity wrote:Am I the only one who notices that Russ really doesn't pass the ball during the 4th quarter, especially during close games? Shot after shot after shot, against the Suns, same story, against the Blazers, same story, against the Bulls, same damn story. I fear it's going to start alienating his teammates. Maybe this loss to the Bulls has me being overly critical, but I think it's probably for the best that his streak ended. I want the Russ that played against the Pacers. I'm venting. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the tear Russ has been on just as much as everyone else, but at some point as a true fan you have to be honest and critical of your own star players, even if it's not the popular thing to do. Someone calm me down, or tell me why I'm wrong or tell me of you agree, it doesn't matter, I just need to know what others are thinking. Thanks and Im sorry for the rant.

- RainCity

he doesn't trust them yet. i mean okc has added a few new and GOOD scorers, but westy and kd have had to carry the team for 7 years. all great players have that gene, and when he's putting up triple doubles it's bound to make him believe he has to do everything,,,especially being a pg. i think when kd comes back, westy will dish more not only to kd but to others as well. he'll start putting up 11 > 12 apg EASILY

MilHammer · Post #18 » by **MilHammer** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 10:22 am

I'm a Bucks fan, but I've always loved Westbrook, way more than Durant. Didnt even think hed flourish like he has, but hes always oozed...intensity. Whenever hes on the court he just looks like hes going to murder someone. Love it.

Post #19 » by **bondom34** » Thu Apr 2, 2015 4:23 am

Excellent SI article...

http://www.si.com/nba/2015/04/01/russel ... llustrated

In 2004, UCLA hosted a small-time AAU event that Bruins coaches were not allowed to attend. But a tournament organizer charged into the basketball office at the Morgan Center and hollered, “There’s some little 5'10" kid flying around Pauley Pavilion like a bat out of hell!” That was Russell Westbrook, bat out of hell. Much has changed since then—his body, his style, his stat line—but not his spirit. He is still the 16-year-old striver whose parents worked at a bread factory and a school cafeteria. On the balcony of the family’s South L.A. apartment, they installed a dip bar over a sandbox, and Westbrook did pull-ups until his arms throbbed. He grew into a spring-loaded UCLA sophomore who declared for the draft and tried to break the rim in his audition with the then Sonics. “His wrists,” says trainer Rob McClanaghan, “were red afterward.” Where Westbrook once bounced off gym walls as a way to inspire his younger brother, Raynard, he now works up the same lather because the sports world is watching, waiting, holding its breath for the kinetic feats of Maniac Russ.

Westbrook’s superpower is hard to measure or define. Nick Collison probably comes closest. “His give-a-f--- level,” the Thunder forward says, “is very, very high.”

Last fall Westbrook watched a video of his reactions to plays positive and negative. He noticed how the Thunder responded to his body language for better and worse. “Let’s say a teammate turns it over, and I’m screaming and moving my hands, you can see in his face that he let me down,” Westbrook explains. “And then, on the next play, you can see the lack of confidence.” The opposite was also true. When he celebrated a teammate for hitting a shot, another bucket often ensued. “I saw how my energy can bring the group very high or very low,” Westbrook says. “It was a huge thing for me, a great thing.” He shared his observations with coach Scott Brooks, a former point guard. “Even if the guy should have caught the pass, you have to take the heat,” Brooks says. “You have to take the blame. You have to tell him, ‘My bad.’”