Why Russell Westbrook Deserves All-Star Bid in Crowded Western Conference Field
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook deserves to be on the floor for the 2015 NBA All-Star Game.
Despite missing 14 games with a hand injury and facing intense competition from his Western Conference backcourt mates, the 26-year-old has earned the right to participate in his fourth-straight midseason classic.
In the NBA's final balloting update on Jan. 8, Westbrook had the eighth-most votes among Western guards. The full list of the guys ahead of the Long Beach blur is below.
| 1. Stephen Curry | GSW |
| 2. Kobe Bryant | LAL |
| 3. James Harden | HOU |
| 4. Chris Paul | LAC |
| 5. Damian Lillard | POR |
| 6. Klay Thompson | GSW |
| 7. Rajon Rondo | DAL |
| 8. Russell Westbrook | OKC |
| 9. Jeremy Lin | LAL |
| 10. Tony Parker | SAS |
All-Star voting ended Jan. 19, and the starters will be revealed Jan. 22.
As of the last update, the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry and Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant held a substantial lead for the top two spots. Houston Rockets superstar James Harden, an MVP candidate and arguably the rightful starter alongside Curry, was in third.
For as good as Westbrook has been at both ends of the court, he's not touching those three guys.
His best chance at making it to New York City would be nabbing one of the possible remaining spots. NBA head coaches can pick two reserve guards and two players of any position to round out the roster.
Curry, Bryant and Harden essentially have their tickets punched. That means Westbrook will have to fight off the four other guys ahead of him as well as a slew of other talented guards to fill one of those three voids.
Here is why he deserves the nod.
Offensive Production
In just 27 games, Westbrook has put together possibly the best all-around season of his career. He's averaging a career-high 24.9 points per game (unofficially fourth-best in the league) to go along with 7.4 assists (eighth) and six rebounds (73rd, in case you're wondering).
The list of guys averaging at least 24-5-5 this season: Harden, Westbrook and LeBron James. That's it.
This chart shows how Westbrook's numbers compare to the other guards who were ahead of him in the All-Star voting. (Note: Rajon Rondo's numbers are the combined averages of his work with the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.)
| Name | Team | Points Per Game | Rebounds Per Game | Assists Per Game |
| Russell Westbrook | OKC | 24.9 | 6 | 7.4 |
| James Harden | HOU | 27.1 | 5.6 | 6.7 |
| Stephen Curry | GSW | 23.2 | 4.8 | 8.0 |
| Kobe Bryant | LAL | 22.6 | 5.6 | 5.7 |
| Chris Paul | LAC | 17.6 | 4.6 | 9.6 |
| Rajon Rondo | BOS/DAL | 9.3 | 6.8 | 9.5 |
| Damian Lillard | POR | 22.1 | 4.7 | 6.2 |
| Klay Thompson | GSW | 21.7 | 3.6 | 3.0 |
While Westbrook's numbers are a little skewed because of the missed games, there's nothing to suggest he can't keep the momentum going.
He's had one abysmal outing so far, when he scored just 10 points on 3-of-19 shooting and finished with seven turnovers in a loss to the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 7. It was one of only six times he's finished with fewer than 20 points this season.
He made up for that bad night by having a historic game against the Warriors on Jan. 16 and outshining Curry en route to a 127-115 win.
Westbrook finished with 17 points, 15 rebounds and 17 assists. He joined Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd and Rajon Rondo as the only players to notch that kind of stat line since the 1985-86 season, per Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman.
Afterward, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr gave his kudos.
"They were all great," Kerr said, per Slater. "But Westbrook was really good. Controlled the game."
For fans of advanced stats, Westbrook has been putting up some pretty solid numbers in that arena, as well. He's first in overall box plus/minus (10.6) and second in offensive box plus/minus (8.8), per Basketball-Reference.com. Box plus/minus is the points a player contributes per 100 possessions compared to a league-average player.
Westbrook is also sixth in the NBA with a VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) of 5.4. The only guards in the West ranked higher than him are Curry, Harden, Damian Lillard and Chris Paul.
The UCLA product is third in the NBA with a player efficiency rating of 28.64, according to ESPN.com's Hollinger stats. Teammate Kevin Durant and New Orleans Pelicans big man Anthony Davis are the only ones above him.
The only blemish on Westbrook's sterling 2014-15 campaign has been his shooting percentages. His 43.4 percent from the field and 25 percent from three are his worst efforts since the 2009-10 season.
That aside, Westbrook's production makes it tough to deny his All-Star candidacy.
Defensive Intensity
In theory, using defensive stats to justify someone being allowed to play in the All-Star Game is pointless. It doesn't matter if you're the second coming of Bill Russell, because nobody is playing defense in this glorified exhibition game.
Still, Westbrook's efforts on the defensive end help to establish him as an elite two-way guard, and it only strengthens his case as an All-Star. While not the best indication of good defense, Westbrook leads the league in steals per game with 2.4.
He's also posting a defensive rating of 100.4, which is the best of his seven-year career. It also puts him 15th in that category, per Basketball-Reference.com.
In other advanced rankings, Westbrook is second only to the Memphis Grizzlies' Tony Allen with a steal percentage (rate of possessions that end in steals) of 3.8.
According to NBA.com, opponents are shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from behind the arc with Westbrook defending.
How does that stack up against his peers? I'm glad I assumed you asked. This chart below shows how Westbrook compares to the seven other guys voters liked more than him.
| Name | Team | Defended Field Goal Percentage | Normal Field Goal Percentage (Difference) | Defended Three-Point Percentage | Normal Three-Point Percentage (Difference) | Steals Per Game |
| Russell Westbrook | OKC | 45.7 | 44.8 (+0.9) | 32.9 | 35.7 (-2.8) | 2.4 |
| James Harden | HOU | 42 | 44.6 (-2.6) | 28.7 | 35.2 (-6.5) | 1.9 |
| Stephen Curry | GSW | 40.7 | 43.8 (-3.1) | 30.3 | 33.9 (-3.6) | 2.1 |
| Kobe Bryant | LAL | 47.8 | 44.5 (+3.3) | 39.3 | 35.8 (+3.5) | 1.4 |
| Chris Paul | LAC | 41.8 | 44.4 (-2.6) | 38.2 | 35.3 (+2.9) | 1.9 |
| Rajon Rondo | BOS/DAL | 46.8 | 45 (+1.9) | 30.9 | 34.4 (-3.5) | 1.7 |
| Damian Lillard | POR | 42.4 | 43.6 (-1.2) | 26.3 | 35.2 (-8.8) | 1.4 |
| Klay Thompson | GSW | 36.4 | 43.4 (-7.0) | 31.9 | 33.8 (-1.9) | 1.2 |
Of the group, Klay Thompson does the best job of hindering his opponent's shot. Beyond Curry's splash brother, you're basically nitpicking when trying to put one over another.
Rondo has admitted, via CSNNE.com, that he hasn't played defense in a while. Bryant and Paul, once two of the best stoppers in basketball, have fallen off a bit.
The point is Westbrook is just as good (or, in some areas, better) defensively as his peers. If there is any edge they have over him on this side of the ball, it isn't large enough to compensate for the gap in offensive production.
During the summer, Westbrook set his sights on being "the best defensive player in the league", as written about by USA Today's Sam Amick.
He might not be quite at that level yet, but he's still been pretty good.
The Wow Factor
Why do basketball fans care about an exhibition game that has zero impact on the rest of the season? Because they want to be entertained.
Once you get past cheering for your favorite player on your favorite team, you end up rooting for guys with the best chance of putting on a show. That's why we have dunk contests, three-point shooting displays and so on. We want to see the best players with the most unique talents go all-out on the hardwood. It's like constructing our own personal Bonnaroo.
In terms of excitement, there are few players more fascinating than Russell Westbrook. His combination of speed, power, athleticism and the kind of anger that would make Bruce Banner nervous is worth the price of admission.
For visual proof, this is Exhibit A. Westbrook brings the ball up court, hits the turbo button and unleashes a sick one-handed jam. If you listen close enough, you can hear the rim cry from the impact.
Next, we have Exhibit B. Westbrook gets a screen from Serge Ibaka. He splits two Kings defenders and finishes with a slam that Ben McLemore wanted no part of.
Lastly, there's arguably Westbrook's best dunk of the season. In transition after an Andre Roberson block, Westbrook leaves the rest of Orlando Magic defense in the dust before stuffing it home with a fancy reverse.
For Westbrook, these plays are par for the course.
With all due respect to Dominique Wilkins, Russ is the new version of a human highlight reel. The statistics are just window dressing. With the depth of talent in the NBA, there will be plenty of productive players on the outside looking in at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 15.
The suspense of watching Westbrook run the fast break is a bit more exhilarating than Thompson draining a trifecta or Rondo making a circus pass. If all the numbers are equal, the edge should go to the guy most likely to give us our money's worth.
Ultimately, Westbrook's chances of making the All-Star Game are in the coaches' hands. Curry and Bryant have the starting spots locked up. Harden's placement is solidified as well. It's up to the men handpicking the rest of the squad to notice Westbrook's body of work.
When it comes to numbers, few can match his all-around efforts. In 27 games, he's done what most players in both conferences haven't been able to do all season.
The competition in the West is steep, but Westbrook has proven to be just a cut above the rest.
Note: All stats current as of Jan. 20 and are courtesy of NBA.com, unless otherwise noted.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
