OKC Thunder: Dropping the negative narrative around Russell Westbrook’s game

We are now in All-Star weekend, and OKC Thunder’s Russell Westbrook is still taking heavy criticism for his style of play, but people need to realize the success lying behind his triple-doubles.

Sitting 57 games into the 2018-2019 season, the OKC Thunder are playing their best basketball since the departure of Kevin Durant.  Yet, Russell Westbrook still takes criticism for his game.

It’s no secret that Westbrook is having trouble with shooting this year, but that does not negate the fact that he is averaging a triple-double for the third straight year. Despite a decline in             Field Goal percentage, he has shown improvements and adjustments in every other offensive category.

With career highs in rebounds, assists, and steals, Russ created a winning environment in OKC. More specifically, Westbrook has willingly taken a back seat to Paul George which has ultimately helped the team succeed.

Stat Padding?

Russell Westbrook is currently averaging 21.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 11.2 assists (along with 2.2 steals), but many people consider Westbrook’s triple-doubles illegitimate and credit stat padding for his numbers.

This could be a valid argument, IF Russ wasn’t on a winning team and had a poor plus-minus rating.  But the Thunder are currently the third seed in the west while Westbrook has a plus-minus of 5.8. To put that number in perspective, James Harden’s plus-minus is currently 2.3. (Numbers courtesy of NBA.com).

Over the course of Westbrook’s career with OKC, the Thunder are 123-25 when he records a triple-double, proving that his “stat padding” has been beneficial to the team.

"Westbrook’s accomplishment is making the Thunder the best version of themselves"

– Will Cain, Host of Will Cain show on ESPN Radio

Impact on teammates

A handful of OKC Thunder players are having career years, and that’s thanks to Russell Westbrook.  Other than the obvious Paul George, players like Jerami Grant, Steven Adams, and Terrance Ferguson are putting up career numbers.

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Grant has established himself as a premier rim defender along with developing a crafty offensive game. Adams has shown the NBA his strength and his ability to score underneath while putting up solid defensive numbers.

The most impressive of all these is Terrance Ferguson. After a substandard freshman season, Ferguson has found his place on the OKC Thunder as the “Three and D” guy. Since the start of December, T-Ferg is shooting 43 percent on 3-pointers along with showcasing his excellent defensive prowess. Earlier this season, Ferguson credited Russell for helping him out of his shooting slump. Westbrook has been the main offensive threat for OKC the past few years but has remodeled his game to trust the players around him.

Without Russ, there’s no way these players contribute as much as they have been.