Player Predictions : Russell Westbrook

Podirk · Post #1 » by **Podirk** » Fri Oct 3, 2014 6:38 pm

Russell Westbrook :

Will have a career high in 3pt % (currently .330) and assists (currently 670). With better offensive players getting more minutes (Thabo out, Perk loosing minsto Adams) Russ should be able to take better shots (and not have to be the scapegoat late in the shotclock) and find better options on the offensive end of the court.

BOLD Prediction : Russell Westbrook finishes the regular season over 8.5 APG and top 5 in assists.

DontH8TheBrody · Post #2 » by **DontH8TheBrody** » Fri Oct 3, 2014 9:35 pm

25/8/5 would have Russ in MVP discussion territory in my opinion.

Kizz Fastfists · Post #3 » by **Kizz Fastfists** » Mon Oct 6, 2014 12:02 pm

Westbrook finally figures out he should stop shooting 3s after Brooks starts pulling him for Reggie every time Russ shoots an unassisted open 3 with more than 10 seconds on the shot clock. This leads Russ to attacking more and over the second half of the season he averages 15 points and 15 assists. Russ finally evolves into the player he should be and stops trying to compete with KD for scoring titles.

NetsWorld · Post #4 » by **NetsWorld** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:41 am

Westbrook, as long he is healthy, should have an all star season. I'm looking for him to continue to attack the rim. He's an explosive player who is not afraid to attack the basket.

babase · Post #5 » by **babase** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 9:43 am

I really want him to stop taking all of those contested 3s off the dribble...that should boost his %.

Kizz Fastfists · Post #6 » by **Kizz Fastfists** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 11:56 am

Westbrook pulling up for 3 early in the shot clock is the most frustrating thing about him. He is a horrible 3pt shooter, 30.5% for his career and no single season over 33%. It is one thing when he gets an open look in the flow of the offense, but when he is forcing them he is frustrating. He really needs to understand that he is not the best scorer on the team and that while he is a great player if he were to focus on what he is good at the team would be better and he could collect a hand full of rings.

I used to hate his elbow jumper, but he has put in the work on it and shoots it around 43% now. I am perfectly fine with that percentage on that shot. It is a shot he can get a good look on almost any time he wants it. When he does miss there is a good chance that OKC gets the rebound as he is already in position for a long rebound with, in theory, Adams and/or Ibaka near the basket.

Westbrook, Adams, Perkins, Collison and McGary are the only players on the roster who have not shown they can shoot 35%+ from 3. Those players should not be taking 3s! Anyone else on the team can pull up from 3, including PJ3, Lamb and Reggie and I'm not worried about it. I don't like it under certain conditions, but I don't cringe like I do when Russ takes a 3. Russ is too athletic and too good at getting to the rim to be settling for low percentage shots. If Russ is allowed to continue taking 3s early in the shot clock without getting put on the bench I will be very upset at the coaching staff. Reggie should be sent to check in for Russ every time he pulls up for 3 with more than 5 seconds on the shot clock unless it is an assisted open look.

ShaqDiesel · Post #7 » by **ShaqDiesel** » Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:16 pm

MVP candidate

Rodddman · Post #8 » by **Rodddman** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 2:58 pm

Is there any chance that Brooks plays him at 2-guard with KD out?

Thunderhead · Post #9 » by **Thunderhead** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:18 pm

Rodddman wrote:Is there any chance that Brooks plays him at 2-guard with KD out?

I don't think there's any chance, Russ is a PG. He may not be a conventional PG, from the standpoint of facilitating and distributing FIRST, and then scoring .......... but he's a PG.

NBA GM survey today, says he's one of the top PG in the league, that's according to GM's.

Rodddman · Post #10 » by **Rodddman** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 6:59 am

Thunderhead wrote:
Rodddman wrote:Is there any chance that Brooks plays him at 2-guard with KD out?

I don't think there's any chance, Russ is a PG. He may not be a conventional PG, from the standpoint of facilitating and distributing FIRST, and then scoring .......... but he's a PG.

NBA GM survey today, says he's one of the top PG in the league, that's according to GM's.

I don't think that there's a single intelligent NBA fan who doesn't hold Russ in a very high regard.

I do however think that with KD out that the Thunder will need to play Russ + Reggie together, and of those two I would rather see Russ play off-ball.

Thunderhead · Post #11 » by **Thunderhead** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 2:54 pm

Rodddman wrote:
Thunderhead wrote:
Rodddman wrote:Is there any chance that Brooks plays him at 2-guard with KD out?

I don't think there's any chance, Russ is a PG. He may not be a conventional PG, from the standpoint of facilitating and distributing FIRST, and then scoring .......... but he's a PG.

NBA GM survey today, says he's one of the top PG in the league, that's according to GM's.

I don't think that there's a single intelligent NBA fan who doesn't hold Russ in a very high regard.

I do however think that with KD out that the Thunder will need to play Russ + Reggie together, and of those two I would rather see Russ play off-ball.

Well, that raises a different question for me, cause I don't think Brooks will start Reggie.

Now, if Reggie and Russ are on the court together, then I think they just become basketball players, and throw positions out the window, either one could ... play the two, but I think Reggie is more the poor man's Harden, than Russ.

They may finish games with Reggie and Russ on the court together, they did last year.