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The amazing ascent of Russell Westbrook up NBA All-Time leader lists

By Matthew Hallett

Feb 17, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Russell Westbrook during the All Star media availability at the Ritz Carlton. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 17, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Russell Westbrook during the All Star media availability at the Ritz Carlton. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Points

Everybody expected Russell Westbrook to average double figures in this category. Westbrook’s  31.1 points per game is leading the NBA (also not surprising).

This is the second time he has led the NBA in scoring. Both times have been without support from the small forward position. Westbrook’s slash line (field goal, perimeter and free throw percent) of  , 42/34/83 are respectable.

His 42 percent from the field is below his career number of 43 percent. Considering how defenses collapse on him now. this is still an impressive number.

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Perimeter:

From three, Westbrook is converting on 34 percent of his attempts. This is the best number of his career and well above his career number of 31 percent. An astounding statistic that goes with these numbers is he is attempting 6.4 threes per game. This is double his career number of 3.2 per game.

It is not just his percentages that are improving.

Westbrook is on course for his first ever 2,000 point season

This is a pretty magical number and only 94 people in the history of the league have managed to achieve it.

Total Points:

In fact, if Westbrook continues at his current pace, he will score 2,550 points for the season. This number has only been achieved 22 times before, by only 11 different players. If he can raise his scoring by half a point a game he will get past the best effort put up by a recently departed small forward.

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Due to the volume of scoring Westbrook has achieved his standing in the all-time lists has improved dramatically. At the end of the 2015-16 season, Westbrook was sitting in 211th all-time for total points scored with 12,598. Add the 1,771 points that he has scored to the All-Star break and you see that he has moved to 153rd all time with 14,369 points.

Points Per Game:

This amazing scoring season has also helped his points per game average for his career. Prior to the season starting, Westbrook was averaging 21.46 points per game, good enough for 36th all time. Fast forward to the All-Star break and Westbrook has improved his points per game average to 22.31 points per game, good enough for 27th all time.

Some of the names that he has gone past on this list are Julius Erving, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley. Legends, all three of them.

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