This year in the NBA has been quite different for a lot of teams and players. With some big moves in free agency. The most glaring of which saw Kevin Durant bolting to Golden State. Ever since then, Russell Westbrook has been on another planet. Averaging a triple double this season with 17 games remaining.
If Russell Westbrook can finish the season averaging a triple double, it will be the first time since 1962 when Oscar Robertson did so. Being good certainly comes with haters, but Westbrook has seemed to endure a lot more than any other player – ever. Even LeBron James.
Tons of people agree that Westbrook deserves being in the MVP conversation, but some hate on his “ball hogging” or his shooting percentage and turnovers. They also mention that the Thunder don’t win as much as the other MVP candidates. But people fail to realize the season is not over and Westbrook has less to work with.
Related: OKC Thunder rout Spurs, Westbrook records 31st triple-double
Also the “stat padding argument” is just so played out and flat out wrong it is annoying now. I see comments every single day about Westbrook pads stats and only cares about stats. But, that is just really not the case. The Thunder are 25-6 when Westbrook achieves a triple double, 11-23 when he doesn’t. But he likes padding stats I thought?
Maybe people hate on Russell Westbrook so bad because they hate seeing him do this and their team will never have a player like him in a million years? That’s the only reasoning I can see behind it. With analysts as well. I get that they say stuff against players to get ratings, but analysts like Colin Cowherd should just stop with the daily hatred on Westbrook.
Related: Oklahoma City Thunder News: Colin Cowherd makes egregious comment
Cowherd reaches on Westbrook so hard it is pretty painful to watch. The guy starts talking about Westbrook when there is a football topic. They have no relevance, but he tries so hard to connect the two.
I understand that LeBron is one of the best players we have ever seen and he is very valuable to the Cavaliers, but they have two other superstars. If you take LeBron off the Cavaliers, they stand a very good chance of making the playoffs still. If you take Westbrook off of the Thunder, they are picking first.
No offense to Victor Oladipo, but would you really put your team into the hands of Oladipo over Kyrie Irving? That’s what I thought.
What people must also understand is Russell Westbrook is the first player to be averaging a triple double in over 50 years, but is doing it with less usage. When Robertson played, he was playing 45 minutes a night almost. Westbrook plays 35. Ten less minutes per game and Westbrook is putting up stats like Robertson. Just imagine what Westbrook could average with ten more playing minutes a game.
Another stat I would like to make is people say Westbrook doesn’t trust his teammates enough.
The Russell Westbrook who "doesn't trust his teammates enough" has the 4th best assist percentage in NBA history right now.
— Adam (@AdamJoseph____) March 3, 2017
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Isn’t it fun to dig up stats instead of make irrelevant stereotypes about a player? Or how the Thunder are 13.6 points worse per 100 possessions with Westbrook off the court. The Rockets are only 1.6 points worse without Harden. Harden is certainly an MVP candidate, but he is more valuable than Westbrook? He has better teammates yet isn’t averaging a triple double and leads the league in turnovers.
I will leave you with this. I don’t think you’re wrong if you don’t think Westbrook is your MVP. Picking Harden, LeBron or Leonard is all you. That’s your opinion and I can’t hate that. But if your only reasoning, if any, is that Westbrook doesn’t win as much, maybe you should start digging into stats on how a player is valuable. Wins help, yes, but if all an MVP has to do is win then you could make a case for Zaza Pachulia to be a candidate with that logic.
It is time to stop hating Westbrook and start appreciating the greatness he brings to the court every night. It is something that we may not see for another half a century again. Embrace the greatness. Don’t hate, respect him.