Russell Westbrook chisels his way to glory - NBA Update
Russell Westbrook had to chisel his way to the point where he can establish himself as one of the most successful point guard. The road to glory was long and had many hurdles, unlike other players in the league and especially in
his team Oklahoma City Thunder. He was never a media darling.
But today he completes the OKC Big Three. Westbrook, Kevin Durant and James Harden are the most feared, young and a dynamic player in the league and the centrepiece of this troika is Russell.
He is the reason behind Thunder’s dispatching Los Angeles Lakers with relative ease, especially in the last 2 games. Things were quite the opposite in the previous 4 seasons. Whenever OKC took fall media and even the team had one
person to blame, Westbrook. In the last season playoffs’ he averaged 19.4 FGA and 22.9 PPG, whereas this postseason he is averaging 24.1 PPG.
The loss to the Dallas Mavericks in West’s semi-finals made him more cautious and prudent. The guard admitted that last year performance compelled him to make major amends in his game.
“It’s definitely helped me,” Westbrook said of his detractors. “Last year, we got put out in the conference finals. I was definitely disappointed in that. Coming into this year, I wanted to come in and help my team and become a
better leader.”
Last year he was shooting 39.4% from the floor and committed 4.6 turnovers, but this year he is 47.2% from the floor and committing only 1.6 turnovers per game.
The most bewildering aspect about this transition is that he managed to reach the zenith of his game in just 4 years. He has established himself as the true face of next generation point guards. Chris Paul and Steve Nash defined
the word point guard, but they were more of a floor manager. Russell belongs to the class that was coined by Derrick Rose, explosive and athletic.
His improvements changed his status from being a roadblock to highway on the road to championship.
“We’re not in this position without Russell’s play,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “We have a good team, but Russell makes us very good with what he does.”
After defeating two former champions in the postseason OKC and Russell have yet to meet their ultimate challenge, San Antonio Spurs. They are running a similar successful show and they have a perfect answer for them, Tony Parker.
He will not alone be fighting on the pick and roll front but it will be a test of mental toughness, all that against a more seasoned and tough point guard Parker.
If Westbrook manages to perform the way he is right now then OKC will get the better of the series. As for now he is the sweetheart of the team and everybody is lavishing him with praise.
He’s been really, really efficient in his moves and his shots,” Durant said. “Not to say that he’s made every shot, but every shot I think he’s taken has been a good shot.”
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