GrandTheftRondo wrote:dontforget wrote:GrandTheftRondo wrote:Because he's been like this for years and the Thunder probably didn't win a title because of it. Yes they had health issues in some of those seasons, but last season they didn't and they absolutely blew their biggest chance. Durant sucked as well, but at least Durant isn't constantly determined to take as many horrible shots as he can just because he knows he's talented and a number of them will go in.
Westbrook is a lot like Kobe and honestly that type of playstyle is hard to watch.
Honestly though, all this defence for Westbrook is even worse. The teammates are bad argument has some merit, but we need to quit acting like he's on the Brooklyn Nets. The team is mostly the same as last year's and they were a game off beating the Warriors.
Does the team go to **** when Westbrook sits? Yes. But I think a lot of people are ignoring a great point a few people have brought up lately. How fun and good is it for the other players when your star guy is dominating the ball and giving it up only when he doesn't score? Not very. It's a lot like Iverson with the 76ers. His play got some wins and even a finals appearance, but it's hardly going to take you plays. Westbrook dominating the ball is never going to allow his teammates to have any sort of rhythm or confidence. So of course when you sub Westbrook they totally go to ****. I find it hard to believe that the likes of Oladipo wouldn't be a better player if Westbrook was a more willing passer of the ball. LeBron had some terrible teams in his first stint in Cleveland, yet always passed the ball and his teammates certainly didn't go to **** like Westbrook's do when called upon to make plays.
That's short sighted. The Thunder didn't win a title with KD & Westbrook because management was cheap and let Harden go because they didn't want to pay him. The core of KD, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka went to the finals when they were so young. KD (4th year) Westbrook (3rd year), Harden and Ibaka (2nd year). After that it seemed they had a injury every year.
Watching Westbrook play with the raw intensity is a beauty of thing to watch. People can crap on his shot selection all they want, but I'd take a guy with the fire and intensity of Westbrook any day. Especially in a league where the regular season is so boring.
The only thing that was hard to see was that crap of team around him. Westbrook leaves with 2 mins in the 3rd up 12, and by the time the 4th begins it was down to a 3 point lead. The game was lost there.
And you think OKC blowing a 12 point lead has nothing to do with the way Westbrook plays?
Sure you sit a star player and you'll probably blow a few points. Understandable. What people seem to ignore though is how Westbrook's play likely has an impact on his teammates. You ever played with a ball hog? Standing there calling for the ball while they go 1 on 5, only dumping it to you when they can't score makes it incredibly hard to get going. The NBA is a league where the players are all about rhythm, muscle memory and consistency. Westbrook hogging the ball throws that all out the window for his teammates. Then when he sits down these guys are getting used to the ball again, they're not in rhythm when it comes to their shots and they won't find a rhythm because the defence clamps down on them fully aware that Westbrook is on the bench. It's not rocket science. It's hard to quantify it, but I'd be staggered if that isn't part of the reason OKC looks so poor when Westbrook isn't making plays. Guys like Oladipo, Kanter, Grant, McDermott etc are not high school role players completely incapable of making some nice plays.
A ball-hog with 14 assists. Its not like the other guys didn't have opportunities. Oladipo had 14 shots, Roberson had 12 shots, they had plenty of opportunities to find a rhythm.