Russell Westbrook Is Tired Of Hearing Criticism That He’s Padding His Stats With Rebounds

We’re living in a post-facts world in many ways, and that logic has now somewhat seeped into the NBA. Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons is the best rookie in the league, for example, but there is a debate over whether he’s a rookie. By dictionary definition? Yes, of course he is, but it’s still up for debate.

The latest argument circling the NBA world in the regular season’s final day is whether Russell Westbrook’s potential rebound average is a function of padded stats. Westbrook needs 16 rebounds in his final regular season game to become the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for two straight seasons.

It’s a statistically remarkable possibility, and one that’s impressive even if he fails to get to double digits on the left side of the decimal point. But as the number needed for the mark solidified, some voices questioned if he is padding his stats somehow by hanging back and grabbing boards. Westbrook was asked about the notion that he pads his rebound stats while talking to the media on Wednesday before the team’s regular season finale against Memphis and flatly dismissed them.

“A lot of people make jokes about whatever,” Westbrook said. “Stat-padding or going to get rebounds. If people could get 20 rebounds every night, they would. If people could get 15 rebounds, they would. The people that’s talking and saying whatever they need to say, they should try and do it and see how hard it is.

“I’m tried of hearing the same old rebound-this, stealing rebounds, all this sh*t,” Westbrook continued. “I take pride in what I do. I come out and play and I get the ball faster than somebody else gets to it. That’s just what it is. If you don’t want it, I’ma get it. Simple as that.”

Westbrook’s tone changes when asked directly about the triple-double record, saying he’s “blessed” he has the chance to compete. That’s because while he will absolutely defend the way he plays the game, he’s said time and time again that the numbers don’t matter to him.

And to Westbrook’s credit, teammate Paul George isn’t having any “rebound stealing” talk either.

“Russ is a guy that, whatever the team needs, whatever he feels he needs to do he’s going to do,” George said. “That just naturally happens that he gets those triple-doubles.”

There are other concerns here, of course, including the idea that Westbrook should not be grabbing boards in the first place. But his game has never been known for its efficiency, and at this point it’s silly to assume anything about that will change.

His brilliance is in the wild outbursts of production that spring forth from oftentimes frustrating ineffectiveness. Or, as Westbrook himself put it on Wednesday, “No one else do the same sh*t I do every night. Simple as that.”

The problem is that Westbrook’s game isn’t really an effective model for other players to follow, nor is it a recommended one. Few people can play basketball like Russell Westbrook, and only he seems to do it well.