This NBA season has been all about Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, and deservedly so. Curry currently has the greatest player efficiency rating ever while his team is on pace for the most wins in a season in NBA history. The Warriors’ pre-Super Bowl matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder has NBA fans buzzing since seemingly no team can dethrone the defending champs, but Curry doesn’t seem too concerned:
Stephen Curry on the Warriors playing Oklahoma City Thunder the day before the Super Bowl: "It'll be a good 48 hours - a win and a win."
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) January 28, 2016
Curry, like many other people, are severely underestimating the Thunder and arguably the team’s top player: Russell Westbrook…
Russell Westbrook asked about Curry comment, gave @royceyoung side-eye: "Anybody else got any other questions" pic.twitter.com/W7LSEsaE7u
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 29, 2016
Westbrook didn’t even have to say a word for everyone to know what his answer was. He wants to silence the Warriors hype and prove that the Thunder are worth paying attention to. With the season he’s having, the Warriors and Stephen Curry need to starting viewing the Thunder as a serious threat.
Westbrook is currently second in the NBA with a PER of 28.87, a mark that only two other players 6-foot-3 or shorter have accomplished in NBA history, per Basketball-Reference. That historically great PER is a product of his ability to fill the box score unlike any player before him.
No one in NBA history has put up the line Westbrook is averaging this season of at least 24 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and two steals per game. He’s able to dominate the game in so many areas because of his unmatched athleticism and maniac-like motor.
Westbrook doesn’t let the opponent rest. He pounds the ball at a relentless pace and uses his athleticism and speed to overwhelm the opposition. His “cotton” shot, which is his patented pull-up jumper at each elbow, just adds another dimension to his offense:
The cotton shot is so deadly because opponents game plan to keep Westbrook out of the paint. When he’s charging with a full head of steam in transition, teams don’t expect him to stop on a dime and hit a pull-up J. He’s eighth in the NBA in points per game on pull-up shots thanks to this weapon.
When guarding Westbrook, you have to plan for his ruthless attacks at the rim, his ability to pick you apart from mid-range and his uncanny ability of crashing the offensive glass (1.7 offensive rebounds per game, tops among players 6-foot-3 or shorter). He’s ready to punish whoever tries to stop him, and he has a multitude of options to choose from.
Sometimes fouling Westbrook is the only option, which is probably why he’s ninth in the league in free throw attempts per game (7.2) despite converting 81.5 percent of his attempts. His ability to get in the paint and draw fouls makes it all the more disappointing when he continues to chuck over four three-pointers per game despite making just 29.1 percent of those attempts. Nonetheless, he’s as scary of a player to guard as they come.
Westbrook is a prolific scorer, we all know that, but he’s probably an even better playmaker:
This shot chart, courtesy of then-Grantland and now FiveThirtyEight’s Kirk Goldsberry, show’s how deadly players receiving the ball from Westbrook were last season. Goldsberry noted that Thunder players shot 55 percent from the field after attempting a shot within two seconds of catching a pass from Westbrook during the 2014-15 season. That’s impressive for a guy who won the scoring title in the same season.
Westbrook uses his penetrating skills to draw defenders and dish it out to wide open teammates. He’s always had the athleticism and speed to become a good passer, but his vision and instincts have helped him become a great one:
Westbrook had a season-high 16 assists in this blowout victory over the Grizzlies earlier this season. Watch him pick apart Memphis’ defense with pinpoint passes off the pick-and-roll and easy dump-offs in transition. A younger version of Westbrook used to look for his shot whenever he had the ball. Now his first option is getting his teammates involved, as crazy as that sounds.
He’s averaging 9.8 assists per game, which ranks second in the league. Yes, a dude who put up 28 points per game last year is averaging more assists per game than Chris Paul this season. Westbrook’s teammates are benefiting from his newfound passing skills, via NBA.com:
Every single teammate on that list, every one, is shooting better from the field after a Westbrook pass. Some people are convinced that Westbrook has a negative affect on Durant, but even he’s shooting a crisp 51.4 percent after a pass from Westbrook, better than his overall mark of 50.5 percent. The Thunder are much, much better with Westbrook on the court.
Westbrook’s RPM of 9.60 ranks second in the league behind, you guessed it, Curry. What’s even more interesting is that Westbrook’s RPM is much better than that of his teammate Durant (6.2o). Westbrook has been more important to the Thunder this season than the 2013-14 MVP. That’s saying something.
Westbrook’s RPM also sheds a light on the other side of the ball. His DRPM of 1.61 ranks third among point guards and ahead of Curry. Westbrook is criticized on defense for his lack of attention at times and ball-hawking ways, but his frame and bulldog mentality are an asset on that end. If he’s focused and committed defensively, he can be a game-changer. He’s also leading the NBA with 2.42 steals per game, which has in part helped him lead the NBA in transition points this season, per Synergy.
Westbrook has a tendency to lose focus and become careless with the ball (third-worst in the league with 4.2 turnovers per game), but he’s also shown an ability to get his teammates involved while continuing to put the ball through the hoop at will. Westbrook is having a historically great season that deserves to be recognized more than it’s been. Curry might be the MVP, but Westbrook is pretty great, too.