Is Russell Westbrook declining?

[spearsy23]

He's not declining, he's just not healthy. Players of that athletic abilities do not decline in 15 days, just like that. Specially guys like Russ. For you kids outhere, being 30 doesn't mean you are corpse (i know that from my own playing days). There is barely any difference from the time when you were 23, let say. Guys like Jordan, Lebron, Iverson, Kobe etc were still faster, more explosive then majority of the league when they were 30. Russ is in that category. He's just hurt or not healthy enough to play like he used to do.

You can’t compare those guys.

Westbrook
Jordan
Iverson
Kobe
LeBron

Let’s see if someone can tell me the big differences here.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Iverson was tiny?

[getrichordie]

He's not declining, he's just not healthy. Players of that athletic abilities do not decline in 15 days, just like that. Specially guys like Russ. For you kids outhere, being 30 doesn't mean you are corpse (i know that from my own playing days). There is barely any difference from the time when you were 23, let say. Guys like Jordan, Lebron, Iverson, Kobe etc were still faster, more explosive then majority of the league when they were 30. Russ is in that category. He's just hurt or not healthy enough to play like he used to do.

You can’t compare those guys.

Westbrook
Jordan
Iverson
Kobe
LeBron

Let’s see if someone can tell me the big differences here.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Iverson was tiny?

Westbrook is the most reliant on athleticism out of all of those guys and I would guess that he has played at a faster pace for most of his minutes than those guys.

All of those guys have an “old-man game.” Westbrook does not.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

[slick_watts]

He's not declining, he's just not healthy. Players of that athletic abilities do not decline in 15 days, just like that. Specially guys like Russ. For you kids outhere, being 30 doesn't mean you are corpse (i know that from my own playing days). There is barely any difference from the time when you were 23, let say. Guys like Jordan, Lebron, Iverson, Kobe etc were still faster, more explosive then majority of the league when they were 30. Russ is in that category. He's just hurt or not healthy enough to play like he used to do.

he is dealing with both things. age related decline and the effects of offseason knee surgery + ankle sprain this season.

the difference between westbrook and the players you listed is that westbrook has had multiple knee surgeries while most of those guys had zero through age 30.

iverson is the counterexample, and interestingly enough his age 29 season was cut short by knee soreness and surgery. he missed the rest of 2004, came back and had a couple decent years after that and was more or less done by age 32.

anyway, we just have to hope temporary factors are more to blame right now than irreversible ones.

[Dadouv47]

Can't say I don't have any concerns about Russ but most of you guys are overreacting way too much

[spearsy23]

You can’t compare those guys.

Westbrook
Jordan
Iverson
Kobe
LeBron

Let’s see if someone can tell me the big differences here.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Iverson was tiny?

Westbrook is the most reliant on athleticism out of all of those guys and I would guess that he has played at a faster pace for most of his minutes than those guys.

All of those guys have an “old-man game.” Westbrook does not.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Iverson was most reliant on his athleticism due to his side, and Jordan and Kobe developed their old man game when they became old men.

That said, Westbrook isn't going to age gracefully, but thirty is very young to begin a sharp athletic decline. The beginning stages will be there, but you don't just fall off a cliff.

[getrichordie]

Iverson was tiny?

Westbrook is the most reliant on athleticism out of all of those guys and I would guess that he has played at a faster pace for most of his minutes than those guys.

All of those guys have an “old-man game.” Westbrook does not.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Iverson was most reliant on his athleticism due to his side, and Jordan and Kobe developed their old man game when they became old men.

That said, Westbrook isn't going to age gracefully, but thirty is very young to begin a sharp athletic decline. The beginning stages will be there, but you don't just fall off a cliff.

No one is saying Westbrook is falling off of a cliff (not me anyway). I would say Iverson was one-part athleticism and 1 part skill/craftiness where as I would say Westbrook is 2 parts athleticism and 1 part skill. He doesn’t and has never had the shot that Iverson, Jordan, Kobe, and James have developed. So yeah, he has an uphill battle from that standpoint.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

[Dadouv47]

Westbrook is the most reliant on athleticism out of all of those guys and I would guess that he has played at a faster pace for most of his minutes than those guys.

All of those guys have an “old-man game.” Westbrook does not.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Iverson was most reliant on his athleticism due to his side, and Jordan and Kobe developed their old man game when they became old men.

That said, Westbrook isn't going to age gracefully, but thirty is very young to begin a sharp athletic decline. The beginning stages will be there, but you don't just fall off a cliff.

No one is saying Westbrook is falling off of a cliff (not me anyway). I would say Iverson was one-part athleticism and 1 part skill/craftiness where as I would say Westbrook is 2 parts athleticism and 1 part skill. He doesn’t and has never had the shot that Iverson, Jordan, Kobe, and James have developed. So yeah, he has an uphill battle from that standpoint.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

I really love Lebron but he's not a great shooter.

[getrichordie]

Iverson was most reliant on his athleticism due to his side, and Jordan and Kobe developed their old man game when they became old men.

That said, Westbrook isn't going to age gracefully, but thirty is very young to begin a sharp athletic decline. The beginning stages will be there, but you don't just fall off a cliff.

No one is saying Westbrook is falling off of a cliff (not me anyway). I would say Iverson was one-part athleticism and 1 part skill/craftiness where as I would say Westbrook is 2 parts athleticism and 1 part skill. He doesn’t and has never had the shot that Iverson, Jordan, Kobe, and James have developed. So yeah, he has an uphill battle from that standpoint.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

I really love Lebron but he's not a great shooter.

I haven’t checked stats, but I’m pretty sure he’s better than Westbrook.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

[spearsy23]

Westbrook is the most reliant on athleticism out of all of those guys and I would guess that he has played at a faster pace for most of his minutes than those guys.

All of those guys have an “old-man game.” Westbrook does not.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Iverson was most reliant on his athleticism due to his side, and Jordan and Kobe developed their old man game when they became old men.

That said, Westbrook isn't going to age gracefully, but thirty is very young to begin a sharp athletic decline. The beginning stages will be there, but you don't just fall off a cliff.

No one is saying Westbrook is falling off of a cliff (not me anyway). I would say Iverson was one-part athleticism and 1 part skill/craftiness where as I would say Westbrook is 2 parts athleticism and 1 part skill. He doesn’t and has never had the shot that Iverson, Jordan, Kobe, and James have developed. So yeah, he has an uphill battle from that standpoint.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Iverson was a career 31.3% three point shooter compared to Russ's 30.8%. Iverson wasn't any better as a shooter.

Iverson is basically a slightly worse version of Westbrook, and if he was taller may have been a clone.

[spearsy23]

Iverson was most reliant on his athleticism due to his side, and Jordan and Kobe developed their old man game when they became old men.

That said, Westbrook isn't going to age gracefully, but thirty is very young to begin a sharp athletic decline. The beginning stages will be there, but you don't just fall off a cliff.

No one is saying Westbrook is falling off of a cliff (not me anyway). I would say Iverson was one-part athleticism and 1 part skill/craftiness where as I would say Westbrook is 2 parts athleticism and 1 part skill. He doesn’t and has never had the shot that Iverson, Jordan, Kobe, and James have developed. So yeah, he has an uphill battle from that standpoint.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

I really love Lebron but he's not a great shooter.

LeBron is a better shooter than Kobe. Fight me.

[Dadouv47]

No one is saying Westbrook is falling off of a cliff (not me anyway). I would say Iverson was one-part athleticism and 1 part skill/craftiness where as I would say Westbrook is 2 parts athleticism and 1 part skill. He doesn’t and has never had the shot that Iverson, Jordan, Kobe, and James have developed. So yeah, he has an uphill battle from that standpoint.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

I really love Lebron but he's not a great shooter.

I haven’t checked stats, but I’m pretty sure he’s better than Westbrook.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Lebron is a better 3 point shooter and a worse FT shooter. Have to look at their midrange 2's. Think it's pretty close (not 2pt%)

[getrichordie]

Iverson was most reliant on his athleticism due to his side, and Jordan and Kobe developed their old man game when they became old men.

That said, Westbrook isn't going to age gracefully, but thirty is very young to begin a sharp athletic decline. The beginning stages will be there, but you don't just fall off a cliff.

No one is saying Westbrook is falling off of a cliff (not me anyway). I would say Iverson was one-part athleticism and 1 part skill/craftiness where as I would say Westbrook is 2 parts athleticism and 1 part skill. He doesn’t and has never had the shot that Iverson, Jordan, Kobe, and James have developed. So yeah, he has an uphill battle from that standpoint.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Iverson was a career 31.3% three point shooter compared to Russ's 30.8%. Iverson wasn't any better as a shooter.

Iverson is basically a slightly worse version of Westbrook, and if he was taller may have been a clone.

I’ll leave this one here for other people to pick apart. I think some may be better able to explain what I mean by Iverson being a better shooter than Westbrook.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

[spearsy23]

Westbrook is the most reliant on athleticism out of all of those guys and I would guess that he has played at a faster pace for most of his minutes than those guys.

All of those guys have an “old-man game.” Westbrook does not.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Iverson was most reliant on his athleticism due to his side, and Jordan and Kobe developed their old man game when they became old men.

That said, Westbrook isn't going to age gracefully, but thirty is very young to begin a sharp athletic decline. The beginning stages will be there, but you don't just fall off a cliff.

No one is saying Westbrook is falling off of a cliff (not me anyway).

If recent Westbrook was purely from decline then he's fallen off a cliff.

[getrichordie]

Iverson was most reliant on his athleticism due to his side, and Jordan and Kobe developed their old man game when they became old men.

That said, Westbrook isn't going to age gracefully, but thirty is very young to begin a sharp athletic decline. The beginning stages will be there, but you don't just fall off a cliff.

No one is saying Westbrook is falling off of a cliff (not me anyway).

If recent Westbrook was purely from decline then he's fallen off a cliff.

I think decline is certainly a huge factor. But I also think him trying to work through that decline (changing his game up) is a huge factor as well. I don’t think the ankle is really bothering him anymore. He’s not limping or anything but I think he is just thinking about his body more this year which is a good thing. But he needs to keep working on his jump shot and making quicker reads.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

[Dadouv47]

No one is saying Westbrook is falling off of a cliff (not me anyway). I would say Iverson was one-part athleticism and 1 part skill/craftiness where as I would say Westbrook is 2 parts athleticism and 1 part skill. He doesn’t and has never had the shot that Iverson, Jordan, Kobe, and James have developed. So yeah, he has an uphill battle from that standpoint.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

I really love Lebron but he's not a great shooter.

LeBron is a better shooter than Kobe. Fight me.

No need to fight, I hate Kobe. If we compare stats Lebron is a better shooter than Kobe but Kobe took so many bad/crazy shots during his career that it's difficult to know.

[getrichordie]

I really love Lebron but he's not a great shooter.

LeBron is a better shooter than Kobe. Fight me.

No need to fight, I hate Kobe. If we compare stats Lebron is a better shooter than Kobe but Kobe took so many bad/crazy shots during his career that it's difficult to know.

Kobe had to literally battle 1-on-1 to get most of his shots. Basketball has changed a lot since Kobe’s prime. There was less spacing back then.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

[Dadouv47]

LeBron is a better shooter than Kobe. Fight me.

No need to fight, I hate Kobe. If we compare stats Lebron is a better shooter than Kobe but Kobe took so many bad/crazy shots during his career that it's difficult to know.

Kobe had to literally battle 1-on-1 to get most of his shots. Basketball has changed a lot since Kobe’s prime. There was less spacing back then.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

The way you speak it looks like Kobe is 20 years older than Lebron.

Kobe just took bad shots while Lebron has one of the highest BBIQ ever.

[getrichordie]

No need to fight, I hate Kobe. If we compare stats Lebron is a better shooter than Kobe but Kobe took so many bad/crazy shots during his career that it's difficult to know.

Kobe had to literally battle 1-on-1 to get most of his shots. Basketball has changed a lot since Kobe’s prime. There was less spacing back then.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

The way you speak it looks like Kobe is 20 years older than Lebron.

Kobe just took bad shots while Lebron has one of the highest BBIQ ever.

Haha, wasn’t my intention. I just think LeBron is just a physical freak. Kobe was more of a finesse player who could play physical. LeBron is more of a physical player who can play finesse.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

[ThunderBolt]

This probably doesn't include yesterday's game. I stumbled across this on an article:

Top 5 players in TS% with 15+ FGA/GM:

Steph (67.5)

Giannis (63.8)

Harden (62.7)

KD (62.5)

Tobias Harris (60.8)

Bottom 5:

Westbrook (49.0)

Wiggins (49.3)

Donovan (49.9)

Dlo (50.8)

Murray (51.2)