Westbrook Is Failing Us!

[G.Walker]

Westbrook leads the league in turnovers, doesn't make sound decisions, and is not consistent. He had costly turnovers and technicals that cost us the game last night. Ok now you are thinking he is a good scorer, yea anybody can score over 30 against teams under .500, playoffs are around the corner, he needs to start getting it together!

http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/pl...rs/order/false

[betts]

Gah. Are you another one of the "sky is falling" posters? Go talk to MJ1 over on OKCThunderfans.com.

We lost two games. We're still not as good as people think, and one reason is that we're still very young and inexperienced. We're going to lose games, just like SA and Dallas have been losing. And we're not going to the NBA finals this year. Let's just sit back and enjoy watching this team develop, recognizing that they still need polish. Part of the fun is the journey.

[Easy180]

The scarier part is KD in a shooting funk...These games mean crapola but they need them to get more minutes with Perkins

Like Betts said they still aren't there but 50+ wins a year...Take it every time

[Stan Silliman]

It appears Westbrook is hurt. He has taken some falls in the last three games and you can from his posture he's in pain.

He's a tough guy and won't admit to a sore back but it has been affecting his overall play. I expect him to rest a little more next week and hopefully he'll be recovered for the playoffs.

[SkyWestOKC]

He's always had the "loser's limp" attitude, I noticed that his first year.

He's a good player, he needs to not be so dramatic though and just play sound basketball. If he was really hurt he wouldn't be in the games. Watch him, every game he has a "loser's limp" when he gets fouled, misses a shot, turns the ball over, etc.

Another thing that drives me nuts is how he'll dribble the basketball for 10-15 seconds at the top of the court, then throw it to KD or Harden with 4-5 seconds left and they don't have time to get a clean shot in or pass it to someone else who is open, and in turn gets charged with the turnover.

[Matt]

These games mean crapola

Two somewhat-important playoff-preview games against the Nuggets this week. In Denver on Tuesday and home on Friday. And then at the Lakers next Sunday.

[Laramie]

Let's not put this on Westbrook:

1. Teams are figuring out how to counter Westbrook's attacks to the basket and are getting him called with a charge.

2. We are taking too many long twos and ill-advised three point shots.

3. Close games are catching up with us. Games are getting harder to close out.

Let's be realistic and not put this on Russell Westbrook.

[rcjunkie]

My My, how quickly a few Thunder fans have become BB experts.

[Kerry]

Just to summarize what I have seen.

1. This team has way too many shot clock violations. There are way too many passes as the clock winds down. It is like the whole team is unaware of the shot clock time.
2. If Westbrook dribbles for more than 10 seconds it will result in a turnover. I have never seen anyone bounce the ball off of their own foot as much as Westbrook does.
3. When up by 6 or 8 they tend to shot far too many 3s trying to deliver the knock out punch. Instead they let the other team back in the game
4. They need to practice inbounding the ball under pressure.

Now having said that, they are still the 4th best team in the west, so it is probably like complaining that my gold isn't shinny enough.

[G.Walker]

Just to summarize what I have seen.

1. This team has way too many shot clock violations. There are way too many passes as the clock winds down. It is like the whole team is unaware of the shot clock time.
2. If Westbrook dribbles for more than 10 seconds it will result in a turnover. I have never seen anyone bounce the ball off of their own foot as much as Westbrook does.
3. When up by 6 or 8 they tend to shot far too many 3s trying to deliver the knock out punch. Instead they let the other team back in the game
4. They need to practice inbounding the ball under pressure.

Now having said that, they are still the 4th best team in the west, so it is probably like complaining that my gold isn't shinny enough.

We have lost too many close games, sure we are a better team than last year, but will we make it out of the first round? Last year we finished 50-32, and were in eighth place for playoff spot, we are now sitting at 50 wins, with only 6 games left, and we are in fourth place. That goes to show how tough last season was, even if Denver jumped us, and we fall to fifth, we will still play Denver in first round.

Denver is the toughest team in the league right now, if we don't get our act together before playoffs, we won't get out of the first round.

Westbrook needs to get his act together, slow down, and quit trying to score so much. A true point guard looks for assists first, rather than scoring first, and Westbrook doesn't do that.

[TaoMaas]

I think the Thunder are trying to create something kinda new with Westbrook. It was no secret when they drafted him that he wasn't a point guard, so every year is a learning experience for him. He's proven that he can score...now he needs to prove that he can make the smart decisions that will elevate the game of those around him. Frankly, I think he can do it, but it's going to take some time. You can see him working on this aspect of his game, but he's not there yet. As the Thunder's front office keeps saying, this is a work in progress. Be patient and enjoy the increasing success.

[G.Walker]

Hopefully we can afford to keep Westbrook, there has been rumors he might go back to LA and play for Lakers, when is contract is up with Thunder, he is a LA kid anyways. But I would take Chris Paul over Westbrook any day, CP3 will be a free agent in summer of 2012.

[onthestrip]

We can afford Westbrook after this year, doubt we can afford Chris Paul in 2012. And Westbrook oght to think twice about going to an aging Lakers team. Hopefully he would realize that he has a great oppurtunity to win by staying in OKC.

[G.Walker]

That is why the Lakers would want Westbrook, Phil Jackson is retiring after this year, prob along with Derek Fisher, especially if they don't win championship this year, I only see Kobe playing 3-4 years for Lakers, and they need someone to fill his shoes and develop, and Westbrook would be a good choice, he is from LA, I would think he would want to go back. Just like I hope we get Blake Griffin to come back to OKC, after his rookie contract is up with Clippers in 2013.

CP3 owns a house in OKC, and loved it here when he played, I wouldn't be surprised if he were to come to Thunder.

Can you imagine, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, KD, Perkins, and Ibaka as your starting line up, that would be crazy!

[BrettM2]

Can you imagine, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, KD, Perkins, and Ibaka as your starting line up, that would be crazy!

There's no way we can afford this unless the NBA does an about-face and does away with the salary cap (and our owners spend a lot more than they have to date). Besides, what positions would they play? KD played the 2 under PJ and didn't fully blossom until moved to the 3. Ibaka and Griffin play the same position, so one would have to go/come off the bench. Westbrook has indicated he wants to stay. CP3 has indicated he wants to go to NY. I'll take Westbrook any day, he at least plays more games than not (and doesn't flop like a Euro player).

[onthestrip]

Westbrook, as well as griffin, can make more resigning with the team that drafted them. That's probably why you'll see Westbrook resign with us. Playing alongside Durant isn't a bad gig either.
And again, we won't be able to afford cp3, he's going to command top dollar. We are a small market team

[G.Walker]

I think Griffin will come back to OKC if given an offer. I honestly don't think Westbrook will stay, I am not even sure if we will be able to afford him, if we can afford Westbrook, we can afford CP3, CP3 is not at his prime, and is injury prone, but still is a good player. Westbrook will demand top dollar, he has a hot head, and wants to be the "star" of the team, I think he wants to be Batman, and not Robin.

[G.Walker]

My Thunder 2013 Lineup:

PG: CP3
SG: James Harden
PF: Blake Griffin
SF: Durantula
C: K-Perk

6th Man: Serge Iblocka

this lineup would be just sick, we need a big 3 to compete with other teams...

[BrettM2]

if we can afford Westbrook, we can afford CP3

Under the current CBA, this is incorrect. With Bird rights, you can resign one of your own players and go over the salary cap to do so. You cannot sign a new player (Free agent) to a contract that causes you to go over your salary cap. Unless the CBA is radically altered, we could resign Westbrook to any size contract because we own his Bird rights. CP3 would have to accept whatever figure we could offer that keeps us $1 under the salary cap.

[TaoMaas]

I don't think Westbrook is going anywhere. He knows that he and KD have a good thing going.

[metro405]

You guys are lost on Westbrook if you think OKC would be as good as they are now without Westbrook you guys don't know basketball His fearlessness and competitiveness has made the Thunder as dangerous as they are now. He is only 22 and still learning with an amazing upside Chris Paul would not be a good fit with the team and again why there is a winning team in OKC

[metro405]

I don't think Westbrook is going anywhere. He knows that he and KD have a good thing going.

Your right they are a good tandum

[BDK]

So I guess tonight we find out if the sky is really falling or not, huh?

We have a good team now; all we need is time.

[metro405]

So I guess tonight we find out if the sky is really falling or not, huh?

We have a good team now; all we need is time.

Well we have to be patience and wait our turn in this thing Thunder is getting better but are still prone to lapses in play Thunder is still in great shape

[metro405]

Westbrook leads the league in turnovers, doesn't make sound decisions, and is not consistent. He had costly turnovers and technicals that cost us the game last night. Ok now you are thinking he is a good scorer, yea anybody can score over 30 against teams under .500, playoffs are around the corner, he needs to start getting it together!

http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/pl...rs/order/false

GW your hard on a 22 year old who has made major strides each year if Westbrook is 27 and making these same mistakes and turnovers im concerned at that point at 22 and showing he wants to win and gives that 110% effort on a nightly basis is what its all about...He is still prone to high turnover games and bad shooting games but when you got a kid with his talent and upside if Thunder let him go watch the results not same team and wouldnt be in playoffs