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When Russell Westbrook backs up from the top of the key and starts moving north to south, there might not be a single defender on the planet who can stop him from getting to the cup.
The really remarkable thing about this move during last night’s 111-98 win over the visiting Nuggets wasn’t his burst of acceleration, but the burst, quickly followed by a ballerina’s grace on the spin move before the layup.
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That is so freakin’ hard to do. The body control alone to avoid the travel is impressive, but to also finish with the shot off the glass is otherworldly.
Before Westbrook twisted his way to that gorgeous layup, he beat rookie Emmanuel Mudiay for a pair of backdoor cuts to open the game.
“Teams are gonna deny him and he’s so quick,” Kevin Durant said after the game. “So this keeps the defense honest.”
So do moves like the one above, a reminder of that quickness and the finishing ability.
Russ can also fill the lane like no other point guard in the NBA. Who gets in the way of this dunk, which came after Andre Roberson intercepted a pass and fed Russ on the left wing.
The Thunder are back in full force with Durant healthy, and the addition of Billy Donovan on the sideline appears to have benefited their offense, which is No. 3 in point per possession this preseason, despite a fifth of their offense coming from “below average” production in the pick-and-roll, according to Synergy data. Their defense has been just as exceptional, giving up second fewest points per possession in preseason, too.
Again, it’s preseason, so all of this is a big tease until eight days from now. But OKC’s preseason play has to assuage the fears of Thunder fans worried about the team soaking in Donovan’s system after eight years of Scott Brooks.
(Video via r/NBA)
