Westbrook is involved in the game, even when he’s not playing in it
Updated Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Russell Westbrook is one of those few NBA players – LeBron James and Jimmy Butler are others – who lift the performance of teammates. Not so much lift them as push them and agitate them.
These are extremely talented, high-energy athletes who expect that same intensity from the rest of the team. They are usually disappointed, and sometimes the teammates do not appreciate the input. Kyrie Irving tired of LeBron. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers didn’t care for Jimmy Butler, so now they’re losing without him, and the Miami Heat are winning with him.
Westbrook is often not fun to be around. He’s prickly and thin-skinned. But the Houston Rockets point guard makes his presence felt even if he’s not actually in the game. He’s sidelined with a strained right quadricep, but as the Rockets battle the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs, he injects himself into most of the huddles during timeouts.
Backup guard Jeff Green said it’s “really annoying.”
Not only was Westbrook inserting himself into Rockets conversation, on one occasion during Monday’s Game 4 he engaged in across-the-court trash talk with his former teammates Dennis Schroder and Steven Adams.
The confrontation apparently developed when the Thunder objected to Westbrook being too close to their bench.
Austin Rivers, who becomes the No. 1 point guard with Westbrook out, said, “I don’t think we have a choice on whether we get Russell involved or not. If he wants to be involved, he will get involved.”
He’s not just a coach on the court, he’s a coach on the sidelines. Question is if the Rockets can advance in the playoffs without having Westbrook on the court. Rivers has his moments, but he’s inconsistent.
Also inconsistent – shockingly so — is James Harden. He was 3-for-14 on 3-pointers in Houston’s overtime loss to OKC on Saturday, a game in which Harden fouled out. Harden had an elaborate bandage on his non-shooting shoulder, and you have to wonder if that was a factor. After all, he’s not a one-handed shooter.
More of a factor was the defense played by a blocky rookie, 6-3, 215-pound Lu Dort. His physicality clearly put Harden off stride.
Harden’s bandage was smaller on Monday, and he was more efficient, with 32 points, 15 assists, 11-of-25 from the floor, 6-of-15 from the arc.
But in crunch time his former backcourt mate Chris Paul was clutchier. Oklahoma City dug out of a 14-point hole to win 117-114, evening the series at 2 games apiece.
Paul is 35, but it was the 30-year-old Harden who looked tired at the finish. It’s much easier for him with Westbrook bringing the ball up court, directing the offense, allowing the game’s greatest scoring machine to focus on scoring.
When healthy, Harden and Westbrook are a tremendous pair. They were close friends when both played in Oklahoma City eight years ago. Harden encouraged general manager Daryl Morey to acquire Westbrook in the off-season. Both players are exceptional passers, and they play better defense than their reputations suggest.
Westbrook’s quad injury apparently is less severe than some. He’s been practicing with the team, and he’s also been running. But he’s been ruled out of Wednesday’s Game 5 (TNT, 5:30 CST).
The Rockets are regarded as a championship threat with their novel small-ball approach. They’re a perimeter team, though Harden and Westbrook are almost unstoppable when driving to the hoop.
The Thunder were expected to create a matchup problem with 7-footer Adams, but so far he’s not been much of a factor on offense. This is a perimeter series, the kind the Rockets like. But without Westbrook triggering the offense, often beginning with his own rebound, small ball is slow ball. They will have difficulty winning unless they get Westbrook onto the court and doing more than talking.
