Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for 54 of OKC’s 98 points, with Westbrook scoring 29 on 13-24 shooting, dishing out six assists (all in the second half) and pulling down seven rebounds. Without Westbrook’s first half (14 points), OKC would have been in big time trouble. He hit jumpers, attacked the rim, stole passes and just kept the Thunder in it early. One play I have to point out that illustrates Westbrook’s steady improvement and understanding of the game: Late in the second quarter, Eric Maynor found Westbrook alone in the corner for an open 3. Russ pondered the shot, passed on it and instead drove baseline for an absolutely stunning up-and-under left-handed and-1. It was truly a thing of beauty. And it said to me Westbrook is just getting things.
via Back on track: OKC locks down on Chicago in the second half to win 98-85 | Daily Thunder.com.
Can Russell Westbrook be a distant second fiddle? I mean, that’s why the Thunder drafted him. Unfortunately, about every four nights or so, he plays like a guy who could be a premier leader on a team. He can distribute and facilitate, but not half as well as he can score. And sometimes guys just don’t want to be second fiddle. Pippen was Pippen and hoop junkies love him for it, but history still doesn’t remember him the same way. It’s not Stockton and Malone. It’s Jordan…who had Pippen. There’s a space. And I’m not entirely convinced that Westbrook gets that as the plan.
For what it’s worth, he’s my second favorite Thunder behind Green (athletic power dunker three/four who shoots threes? YESSIR). And I think he’s very underrated. But at the same time, the fans, the organization, the coach all want the ball to go to KD first, second, and third. Then after all that you can worry about RW. I wonder though, the last few times I’ve seen Durant screw up a final possession, if they wouldn’t be better suited with Westbrook handling those. Let Durant work to get open, and let Westbrook size up the defense. He’s got some floor generalship in him, even as he too often elects for a shot over a pass. They have a great chemistry and situation in OKC right now. It’s the long term viability of this group as a core that I wonder about. Green gets it. Harden gets it. Durant is it. But Westbrook?
Westbrook has an agenda to his own, I think.
[...] Interesting take from HP: “Can Russell Westbrook be a distant second fiddle? I mean, that’s why the Thunder drafted him. Unfortunately, about every four nights or so, he plays like a guy who could be a premier leader on a team. He can distribute and facilitate, but not half as well as he can score. And sometimes guys just don’t want to be second fiddle. Pippen was Pippen and hoop junkies love him for it, but history still doesn’t remember him the same way. It’s not Stockton and Malone. It’s Jordan…who had Pippen. There’s a space. And I’m not entirely convinced that Westbrook gets that as the plan.” [...]