2011 NBA Playoffs: Is Russell Westbrook Hurting the Oklahoma City Thunder?
The Thunder wouldn't be where they are today without Russell Westbrook. It just seems to me that his game emulates a player who is the lone star on a basketball team but obviously that isn't the case.
Westbrook is a top 15 player in the NBA. Sometimes, he acts like he is a top five player, though.
He has shot too much for not even being the main star on the Thunder team this postseason. Westbrook is taking about 21 shots so far this postseason—almost the same amount of shots as superstar Kevin Durant.
It might be fine if he was connecting on more of his shots, but he is shooting less than 40 percent from the floor. He struggles to finish around the basket, pounds the ball on the floor too much and ball-hogs too often.
Durant needs to be more vocal on getting more shots.
Durant demanded the ball against Denver in Game 5, and he took over, scoring over 40 points in a Thunder victory.
Westbrook attempted to take over Game 4 in Denver after shooting 12-30 in their only loss against the Nuggets. He was only 9-23 against the Grizzlies in Game 1; Durant was 11-21.
Whether you blame Durant for not demanding the ball or Westbrook for controlling the ball and taking wild shots, we could all agree that adjustments need to be made. Durant should shoot at least a few more times than Westbrook per game.
Westbrook is an outstanding player. Not only can he score, but he can facilitate as well as rebound pretty well. But he needs to calm down and be under control if the Thunder wants any shot of getting by the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference semifinals.
