Westbrook Paradox.
14/4/2018
You are now venturing into another dimension. One of Dunks and Dimes. Stars And Statistics. A place where big men have been reduced to small roles, super stars players sit passively in the corner, and great talent maybe the cause for great turmoil: this is the NBA twilight zone.
Consider for your interest the Oklahoma City Thunder. More specifically their sometimes-enigmatic superstar point guard Russell Westbrook. He is a special talent; in a sport like basketball where every player has had someone with a comparable skill set, there’s truly like him. No other player that I can think have has ever melded these qualities together; score first-vacillating-explosive-tenacious-rim smashing-shot creating point guard who’s has unabashed and driven as much as any other competitor: That’s Russel Westbrook. In a time when most points guard only occupy a few or maybe one of those labels, Westbrook has transcended what we’ve come to understand as the standards of mold of an NBA point guard. The 2017-18 NBA season mark the third consecutive season of Westbrook averaging twenty (20) plus Points and Ten (10) assists per game, hasn’t been achieved since the 90’s. the “Triple doubles”, that’s become more of a way of life than a stat line to him. When thers break when faced with the prospect of limitations, whether physical, mental or a matter of skill, Russell seems to only gaze upon the limits as he surpasses them. Yet, it is those very absent limitation that have created the conundrum that is Russell Westbrook. It’s a tragic irony. With his skill set that endows him with gifts to so many things well, he cannot achieve on of the qualities of all great players: making his teammates better. In a way he subverts that he makes them worse.
His anomalous play style and gawdy numbers are always a perplexing point for most basketball pundits who try determined where Westbrook should play (his position) or where he should stay (a team suited for his play style). Nothing is more emblematic of the troubling conundrum that is Russell Westbrook than his triple doubles. His name is now interwoven in fabric of the term, you can’t think triple double, without thinking Russell Westbrook, it’s become his signature calling card. Russ’s triple-doubles are products of his tenacity, his unbridled drive, his aggression on the offensive end of the floor. Only Westbrook could make something that Michael Jordan (one of the most driven players in NBA players) only accomplished 28 times in his career look pedestrian. But Westbrook’s affinity for them is problematic. Consider this, on the final day of the 2017-18 NBA regular season, Westbrook verge of securing his 2nd straight season of averaging a triple-double, something no one truly believe he could have achieved the 1st time. Yet here he was, entering the night 16 rebounds short of the mark. What did Westbrook do? Go on a rebounding tirade. From the opening tip everyone knew he would chase stats. Like a young hyperactive child on the court he was everywhere a loose rebound could be found. His teammates could be seen creating leans for him to snag them, and he oblige. At the end of the night Westbrook stat line read, 20 rebounds, 19 assist, 6 points, one triple double averaged and the applause and awe of the thousands in the arena. It all seemed right, right? Wrong! The next highest rebounding total from that night was Steven Adams, with 7. Yes, the 24-year-old, 7-foot-tall, 255 lb., 22-million-dollar per year center, Steven Adams with 7 rebounds. But Of course, you’d think that this was just an aberration, for the night, help Westbrook get the record, right? Wrong! In the two games leading up to that one, when Westbrook began stat chasing for triple-doubles, Adams recorded a pedestrian 8, then 3 rebounds in each game respectively. But it didn’t end there. The subsequent series versus Utah Series, 7,7,2,7 and 6 rebounds the over the first 5 games of the series. Twenty-two million, need I remind you! I bring up rebounding because between that, defensive rotation, paint protection and having an awesome beard there’s no other reason to pay Steven Adams. Yet in the onslaught of Westbrook stat pursuit, Adam’s contribution is diminished. Russell Westbrooks often praise his drive and determination, but the cost for his reckless driving is not him but his teammates . He undermines and marginals the talent and skills.
Reckless rebounds are not the only deceptive figure in Westbrooks, his assists are as well. Westbrook’s attack 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, mentality garners him a lot of defensive attention. Rim running usually compresses the defense in, suffocating drives in the paint creating lanes and spot-up opportunities for teammates to produce. These shots, usually layups at the rim or spot up threes, are what modern day NBA offenses are designed to generate; in Oklahoma City there is one man who can generate these opportunities in it of himself. Westbrook has top ten in usage rating (the amount plays he’s involved in) for 8 year and he doesn’t waste many opportunities as he has been top ten in assist many of those seasons. Russell isn’t simply orchestrating the offense, he is the offense (at times); therein lies the caveat. Westbrook commands so much of the offensive and creates such minimalistic offensive opportunities for his teammates that when are forced to create for themselves, they can’t and those who can create aren’t often forced to do so, enabling to capitalize off their ability. Consider Carmelo Anthony. Now personally I believe that Melo would’ve struggled this season, Westbrook or no Westbrook, he is simply washed up. But the companying of him with Westbrook only exacerbated his decline. A lot of experts expected Carmelo to conjure the spirit of “Olympic Melo” (2008 spot up shoot three’s Melo) to facilitate a smooth transition with Westbrook—that simply wasn’t the case. The Olympics were a different arena of basketball. His teammates were better, their opponents were subpar and there play style opened a variety of shots, from different spots on the floor. Not with Westbrook, more often Melo would spot up in the corner or on the elbow limiting his offensive rhythm. When Iso opportunities (Melo’s Favorites) are opened for him, they often result in forced mid-range jump shot, which is analytically the worst shot in basketball, or poorly spaced offensive sets that lead to turnovers. Paul George did not fair much better. The superstar swingman began the season shooting the three balls exceptionally, top 5 in make throughout the season, then he stumbled into a shooting slump late in the season. George, who had been accustom to creating for himself in Indiana, he too was relegated to a spot up shooter, which, just like Melo, didn’t suite him. He excused his late season shooting woes as “mechanical”, though there were visible signs that he lacked confidence in a shot he’d been forced to use more often than he’d prefer. George recovered in time for the playoffs, posting a stellar 36-point performance in the opening game against the Jazz. Then eventually settling into another offensive stupor the rest of the series. By just watching his highlights it was apparent that George couldn’t feast on the diet of that many spot ups, and tough shots. Some he forced others a product of offensive stagnancies created by the Westbrook paradox (other teammates waiting for something to happen for them). Both Melo And George Posted inefficient offensive numbers this seasons despite taking less shots than the season before.
If the Thunder were to implement a scheme that would more favor motion as oppose to isolation I could imagine that this would palliate some the problems Westbrook’s play style presents. But ultimately there aren’t any players malleable enough to accommodate Westbrook paradox.
