Russell Westbrook Video: Watch Thunder Star's Unbelievable Layup vs. Lakers
Say what you want about Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook's outfit selection, but there's no doubting his ability as a basketball player.
With just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter of Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers, Westbrook channeled his UCLA Bruins defense of yore and deflected a Ramon Sessions pass intended for Kobe Bryant. He then showcased his insane speed and prevented Sessions from getting an angle on him.
It only took Westbrook two dribbles to get to the three-point line, where Sessions tried to wrap him up to prevent a shot. But Westbrook would have none of that. He took two steps, switched the ball to his right hand in mid-air and chucked up a prayer. It was one of those shots that you typically see fly over the backboard, but this one went off the backboard and in.
The craziest thing is from the time he touched the ball, he took five steps until he was close enough to get a shot off from reasonable distance. Again, say what you want about Westbrook. Question his maturity, his commitment to the team, his aforementioned style—but you can’t question what he can do on the court.
He's one of the best young players in the league, and he and Kevin Durant put the team on their backs yet again versus the LA Lakers in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals.
The look on Kobe Bryant’s face afterward is absolutely priceless. How many times have we seen Kobe do something completely ridiculous and shrug it off like it’s all in a day's work? Westbrook failed to show that same type of poise, but it doesn't matter. That shot is one-in-a-thousand.
Westbrook is a ridiculous physical specimen with an acceleration that is without peer. He'll be around to give Western Conference foes nightmares for at least the next decade.
