NBA Playoffs 2011: Why Does Russell Westbrook Continue to Shoot So Much?

Despite the Oklahoma City Thunder's impressive run to the conference finals, the team has not completely escaped criticism this postseason.

One of the biggest topics of discussion this postseason has been the up and down play of Russell Westbrook. More specifically, his shot quantity and selection.

The debate concerning Westbrook’s play started in the middle of the first round against the Denver Nuggets. In a Game 4 loss, Westbrook attempted 30 shots, compared to 18 from Kevin Durant.

Since then, Westbrook has played a Jekyll and Hyde act, playing facilitator one game and being shot happy the next. In the process, many pundits have called for Westbrook to defer to Durant more.

In Game 7 against Memphis, fans were treated to the Jekyll version of Westbrook, as he attempted a very efficient 12 shots from the field, en route to recording a triple double. Kevin Durant added a game high 39 points, as the Thunder closed out the Grizzlies.

Last night in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against Dallas, Westbrook didn’t necessarily take too many shots (3-15), but he seemed slightly erratic at times. He would often lower his head and plow towards the hoop, missing many point blank shots in the process.

All of this begs the question: Why does Russell Westbrook continue to shoot so much?

Here are two possible reasons:

Westbrook could have an inflated sense of himself:

This is certainly not saying Westbrook is not a phenomenal basketball talent, or that he is a superstar with a big ego.

However, Westbrook had the type of breakout season that could give even the must humble player an inflated sense of self.

Westbrook was named to his first All-Star team, was selected to All-NBA second team and had a successful stint with Team USA last summer.

Any other player with those types of accolades would be the best player on his team, 90 percent of the time.

But Westbrook happens to play with the two time scoring champion and an All-NBA first team member.

Westbrook is clearly the second banana.

At this point, Westbrook needs to know his role, and go back to doing the things that earned him his accolades in the first place.

In Oklahoma City’s two closeout games against the Nuggets and Grizzlies this postseason, Westbrook has deferred to Durant. In those two games Durant has scored 41 and 39 points, respectively.

That’s the formula I am sure Thunder fans want to see more often.

The NBA is a copycat league:

Two of Westbrook’s point guard contemporaries, Derrick Rose and Chris Paul, have no teammates that closely resemble Kevin Durant.

That means Rose and Paul have to take a high volume of shots from time to time and force the issue.

Maybe Westbrook is attempting to “keep-up” with his fellow all-pro point guards.

No one knows what has suddenly set off Westbrook’s new style of play, but he would certainly be smart to defer to the team’s best player more often.

After all, teams usually only win championships when the pecking order is firmly established.