The most amazing aspect of Russell Westbrook’s historic performance last season is that he managed to pull it off at all. Only Kobe Bryant in 2005-06 has ever used a higher share of his team’s possessions than his 38.4 percent, and Westbrook did it against nightly defenses specifically designed to limit his impact.
Kevin Durant wasn’t around for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2014-15, and his team suffered in the win-loss column as a result. But Westbrook emerged as a force even greater than the one the basketball world had come to know, a bundle of palpable fury and relentless energy whose attack, at all costs, mentality never seemed to wane.
Just how was that possible?
It’s unfair to compare Westbrook’s responsibilities to those LeBron James shouldered last June; not only is NBA Finals intensity on an entirely different level than the regular season’s, but the four-time MVP’s herculean effort came against basketball’s best defense. Nevertheless, shouldering such an incredible load left James visibly exhausted in the latter half of the championship series. Westbrook, meanwhile, somehow got stronger as the year went on – February and April were the best months of his groundbreaking season.
It’s that reality that has us so excited for his relegation to 1B offensive option in 2015-16. Just what will he be capable of now that he won’t have to expend so much energy on every single possession? Could this soaring, double-pump, reverse jam from the Thunder’s Sunday scrimmage be a sign of what’s to come?
We certainly hope so, and can’t wait to find out.
(Via Chris Palmer)
