Thunderous Intentions
Fansided

Russell Westbrook – from MVP to critics punchline, Thunder guard gets no respect

By Jordan Buckamneer

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 27: Russell Westbrook
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 27: Russell Westbrook /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 27: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on in the first half during Game Six of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 27, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 27: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on in the first half during Game Six of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 27, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) /

MVP to punchline:

So what changed? Well, Thunder GM Sam Presti did his part in the off season to bring in more talent. And then after nearly missing the playoffs with Paul George and Carmelo Anthony on the roster, Westbrook and the Thunder found themselves losing in the first round of the playoffs to a team led by a 21-year-old rookie.

And it’s not simply that the Thunder lost, it’s the way they lost. Utah won three games in a row after dropping the first, and it took a historic comeback by OKC to avoid a fourth consecutive loss. Although the Thunder eluded the gentleman’s sweep, it only delayed the inevitable. Oklahoma City went on to lose the following game with an embarrassing ending, which saw Westbrook miss several shots from behind the arc in the final seconds. After that, Westbrook went from league hero to league punchline. And it’s been up to his supporters to remind critics of his greatness.

Related: Top 10 list from historic MVP triple-double season

The first thing to understand is Russell Westbrook inarguably remains one of the most athletic players in the league. His speed, acceleration and vertical is unmatched. But, not to be forgotten is his heart and competitiveness. Those things make him the player he is and that doesn’t always show up in the stat line. In fact, in some cases it hurts him in the box scores.

Yes, it’s almost as if he wants to win so bad he manages to do the opposite by forcing the issue and making unnecessary errors. Yet, at the end of the day, what good would a slow version of Westbrook be? Imagine a version of Russell Westbrook that walked the ball up the floor, set the offense and deferred to other players. His critics say that’s exactly what he needs to do, but really think about it. Other than Paul George and maybe Carmelo Anthony, what player would you rather Westbrook defer to?

And perhaps there should be fewer times when he calls his own number and makes the extra pass, but would making that his style full time translate to more wins? Because that’s all Westbrook cares about, clearly. He is the type of player who will do whatever he has to in order to win. Playing with him didn’t keep Kevin Durant from winning MVP. It also didn’t keep James Harden from winning sixth man of the year. And I have yet to hear any teammate past or present specifically say Westbrook is hard to play with.

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