If you need to score 49 pts, and have triple dubs to beat the worst team in NBA

[imdaman99]

I have to think Westbrook would not be easy to coach. How do you harness his 100mph motor and incorporate it into a team concept where everyone is involved and contributing offensively? Seems almost like an impossibility, without muffling the thing that makes him dangerous in the first place.

On a team where Westbrook is the main driving force over the course of an entire season, I think this is about what you'd get, at least at this stage in his career... Great numbers, mediocre-to-poor team.

Of course, if you were building a team around him alone, it'd look a little different than OKC's current roster. But, despite his statistical domination since Durant went down, they've been just scraping by against pretty weak competition.

So based on last night, OKC is scraping by against pretty weak competition? That is 1 game. Unless you consider the close losses against the Blazers in Portland and Suns in Phoenix weak competition Don't disguise your agenda next time, please. Come out and say that you don't think he's as good as perennial playoff king Kyrie Irving

[TheMarkMadsen]

how is OP's picture relevant at all?

[RedBlackAttack]

So based on last night, OKC is scraping by against pretty weak competition? That is 1 game. Unless you consider the close losses against the Blazers in Portland and Suns in Phoenix weak competition Don't disguise your agenda next time, please. Come out and say that you don't think he's as good as perennial playoff king Kyrie Irving

Yeah, no. My comments had nothing to do with any other players in the league. Westbrook is better than Irving at this stage of his career, as he should be. Russ is 26 and Kyrie is 22. Those four years are enormous for player growth, experience and even physical maturity.

Asked who my top five players in the league were a couple weeks ago, I had WB in there, along with LeBron, Durant, Curry and Harden.

This was a simple observation based on what I have seen since Durant went down, not just last night. They are, what? 4-2 with WB since Durant was injured, with an overtime win against the Sixers, arguably the worst team in the league? The other wins came against the Bobcats, Nuggets and Pacers, with losses to the Suns and Blazers. I'll also point out that OKC was good enough to beat the Lakers without WB or Durant.

This may be the weakest stretch in the schedule all season for the Thunder.

I might even suggest that the timing on KD's procedure was, in-part, because of that soft part of the schedule hitting, which also coincided with WB himself getting healthy again.

OKC without Durant doesn't exactly strike fear in the hearts of the best teams in the league. And, they don't have to. All they have to do is stay afloat until he is healthy. Once he is back and he teams up with Russ and Ibaka, they are scary for any team in the league.

This isn't some stupid player fan rivalry. I honestly couldn't care less. Right now, Irving is a great fit on the Cavaliers. That's all I care about. At the same time, I'm allowed to make observations on other teams/players when I see fit. Just like you're welcome to disagree.

Screaming "bias" is a pretty lame retort, though.

[TheBigVeto]

He be chuckin.