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Oklahoma City Thunder: Staying Positive!

By Shawn Woods

Jan 26, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) drives against New York Knicks center Kevin Seraphin (1) and small forward Lance Thomas (42) and shooting guard Langston Galloway (2) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Thunder defeated the Knicks 128-122 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) drives against New York Knicks center Kevin Seraphin (1) and small forward Lance Thomas (42) and shooting guard Langston Galloway (2) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Thunder defeated the Knicks 128-122 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 19, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 19, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

Russell Westbrook

I understand the disservice when discussing the positive aspects on Oklahoma City’s season and waiting this long before mentioning Russell Westbrook, but if there’s anyone that could challenge Durant as the most important player on the roster, it’s Westbrook.

RW 2016 AVG (1-27)
RW 2016 AVG (1-27) /

There hasn’t been a player that’s averaged 24 points and 10 assists for an entire season since Michael Adams in 1991. Before that, you have to go back to Tiny Archibald‘s 1973 season, in which he played 46 minutes per game. Westbrook could join that club by increasing his assists per game slightly, as he currently sits at 9.7 per game, and averages only 34.1 minutes per game.

But there is far more to it than raw numbers. Westbrook has developed a chemistry with a few players on the roster that wasn’t visible before this season.

If watched these two play together at all this season, you’ve undoubtedly seen a pick-and-roll that ended with a monster dunk from the Big Kiwi.

Steven Adams isn’t the only player that has been the beneficiary of Westbrook’s play-making abilities.

Russ has been Good Russ for some time now, and if the phrase “Westbrook isn’t a true point guard” is muttered in your presence, you have my permission to mock that person. Mock them publicly, and mock them loudly. Westbrook has been a top point guard for a while now.

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