Here’s some video of James Harden talking after the game. Below are some quotes from Russell Westbrook, Patrick Ewing and Kevin Durant.
WESTBROOK
On how he played: “It was a fun game, unfortunately they came out with the victory but a fine team effort for us. We just tried to come out and have some fun.”
On trying to get back in to tie KD’s record: “I was at that point. We were down eight and that’s when he took me out of the game. I was trying to get back in to get an opportunity to win the game.”
On the record: “No somebody was saying — I didn’t refer to it though, but somebody said something about it.”
Patrick Ewing on Russ’s game: “I mean, he scored 40 points, but you know, this is a team game. We got our butts kicked in every aspect of the game. They had 52 rebounds. They had 140 points. I know it’s an All-Star Game, but you know, we didn’t play with enough pride in my eyes. They outplayed us. They outhustled us. They outscrapped us.”
Kevin Durant on Russ’s game: “I was worried he was going to get my record, but I was happy for him. He was hitting 3s and everything tonight. That’s something that I usually don’t see from Russell, but he had a great game. Luckily, they took him out with seven minutes left and he had 40 points, so he wouldn’t break my record. But I’m glad we came out and got this win for the rookies.”
To Durant: “Is your official nickname Durantula?” KD: “Yeah, you could say that. Durantula.”
Month to month splits now available for advanced stats including shot location on pages like this one for Westbrook
http://www.hoopdata.com/splits.aspx?player=Russell%20Westbrook
Westy's shots at the rim last ten games has gone back to January levels. His FG% at the rim would be a dandy near 60% if not for his under 40% in December. He peaked on FG% for the 16-23 ft shot in January.
Compared to the 2007 champion Spurs who were the best shooting team in the league, the Spurs were better shooters than the Thunder on eFG% at 4 of 5 positions with the current Thunder's only comparison win surprisingly at PF. On own PER and net PER the Spurs also won 4, except of course SF because of Durant.
Compared to the more typical championship Spurs of 2005 the current Thunder actually shoots better from all 3 of the front court positions. The Spurs still end up winning own PER and net PER at 4 positions.
Lofty comparison but I thought it might be interesting to check.
Durant as the Duncan and Westbrook as the Parker.
Asked this before and Green was compared to Horry. Not sure if the closeness of the fit was looked at but here it is thru the first 3 seasons (at least on boxscore stats, missing a good bulk of defense):
http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/tiny.cgi?id=SVSox
Thabo as Bowen, Collison and Krstic not that different from at least some of the Spurs revolving center staffing.
That is a pretty close fit in some ways.
Spurs managed to produce a top defense with an offense that varied from top 5 to top 10 though.
Keith :Funny thing is Westbrook’s game went down just like it would have in a real game. In the first half he was looking to pass and get people involved, the guys just weren’t hitting off passes. Second half the Sophs never seemed to lock in at all and so Westbrook went all superhero on them. I feel like Westbrook would have scored less and passed more if the Sophs hadn’t been so lethargic and lackadaisical throughout the game.
my thoughts exactly..
@555
I didn't write the quote, but I don't disagree with it. Do I expect Russ to ever get the starting nod? No. But I can see him as a reserve and almost certainly as a sub at some point.
Another thing we (I) forget is that these guys are still 6-7 years from their best years, and a lot of All-Star appearances come later in a career.
westbrook was attacking the rim for offense and defensive rebounds until the very end. he would have had 10 more point on put-backs if some guys missed more.
Other notable point guards future all-star candidates would be S. Curry, T. Evans, Aaron Brooks, Beaubois, D. Collison (if traded), and possibly Rubio.
As of now, I belive Westbrook is in a better posistion to get an all-star nod.
@555
Concerning the All-Star talk. Kidd and Nash will soon be gone. Billips age will catch up with him. At the moment the only other player I can see giving Russ serious competition for a reserve guard role is John Wall. Let's hope Wall goes to Brooklyn.
@555
I don't think Westbrook was being too greedy. Nor do I agree with the Monta Ellis comment. Westbrook was simply trying to win. His teammates were not getting it done, so he stepped up. Also near the end of the game you might have noticed that the other guards were sending assists Westbrooks way.
Like Keith said: "I feel like Westbrook would have scored less and passed more if the Sophs hadn’t been so lethargic and lackadaisical throughout the game."
I heard many Heat fans said that Beasely is as good as KD if he is in Thunder,but I think Russ give them a lesson.Russ can be assisstant of KD,but does he want to do the same for Beasely?
DizzyDai :
Keith :Funny thing is Westbrook’s game went down just like it would have in a real game. In the first half he was looking to pass and get people involved, the guys just weren’t hitting off passes. Second half the Sophs never seemed to lock in at all and so Westbrook went all superhero on them. I feel like Westbrook would have scored less and passed more if the Sophs hadn’t been so lethargic and lackadaisical throughout the game.
I’m glad someone else noticed that!
That's exactly what I said he took away his teammates from the game. And that's why I don't think he will be in the real All Star Game. The way he played was not much different than Monta Ellis...
MartzMimic :ESPN gave Russ an A for last night:
“He will be playing in the varsity game on Sundays maybe as early as next season. He had an opportunity to show his scoring ability without having to worry about feeding a certain MVP candidate (Kevin Durant) as he does every night during the season. This guy has the whole package.”
Highly doubt that... There are at least Chris Paul and Deron Williams lining up for the All Star Game for a while. Also, I think RW is good but not that good enough yet.
According to Harden, KD told Russell: "Please don't break my record." That is hilarious.
Keith :Funny thing is Westbrook’s game went down just like it would have in a real game. In the first half he was looking to pass and get people involved, the guys just weren’t hitting off passes. Second half the Sophs never seemed to lock in at all and so Westbrook went all superhero on them. I feel like Westbrook would have scored less and passed more if the Sophs hadn’t been so lethargic and lackadaisical throughout the game.
I'm glad someone else noticed that!
Yes, three-in-a-row. What can I say? I'm channeling my inner Crow.
As to the CBA, I think Stern knew exactly what he was doing when the league put out the first proposal. It wasn't just a lowball offering, it was draconian. Now we'll see something closer to what the owners really want.
ESPN gave Russ an A for last night:
"He will be playing in the varsity game on Sundays maybe as early as next season. He had an opportunity to show his scoring ability without having to worry about feeding a certain MVP candidate (Kevin Durant) as he does every night during the season. This guy has the whole package."
I know it's just for fun, but I liked the fact that Russ wanted to win. The soph bigs showed early on that they weren't going to exert themselves. He did shoot too much, but how many assists would he have logged if Gasol, Love and Lopez weren't fumbling passes?
Funny thing is Westbrook's game went down just like it would have in a real game. In the first half he was looking to pass and get people involved, the guys just weren't hitting off passes. Second half the Sophs never seemed to lock in at all and so Westbrook went all superhero on them. I feel like Westbrook would have scored less and passed more if the Sophs hadn't been so lethargic and lackadaisical throughout the game.
poor Harden.. dude plays a great game and everyone just asks him about KD and Westbrook.. he handled it well though.. classy guy..
Westbrook was fantastic tonight though.. he looked like the only sophomore that really wanted to win.. i think he was frustrated that guys weren't taking it seriously and so he decided to just do it himself.. nobody else was doing anything, so he took it into his own hands.. i loved it.. his competitiveness and drive to win, even in a game like this, just like KD last year.. man, i love our players..
Vlad is absolutely dead weight. It's unclear if Biedrins will come all the way back from his injury. I guess I wouldn't be upset by the deal, but it's pretty risky.
@justin
It boils down to whether or not Biedrins is worth losing cap flexibility for a year. If he can get back to 100% of what he was before this injury, I think he is. If not, then I don't.
There aren't many other options.
I don't foresee a scenario where Jeff isn't in the starting lineup. Not any time soon anyway.
I don't see us getting Bosh. I think David Lee is going to be overpaid + him & Green in the same lineup wouldn't be great. Haywood is going to be gone. I think Biedrins is a better deal than Okafer. I don't honestly believe Jefferson will be made available. I don't foresee anyone else that matters being made available either.
So, if he's healthy, or can at least get there and not have lingering injuries the rest of his career, then I say go for it.
@justin
If this has indeed been offered, Presti should do it. That is a damn good trade. BJ is a long-term project, and, quite frankly, he's a much better fit there than here, so we can afford to lose him. I'm not too keen on Vlad the Space Cadet, but as far as bad contracts go, he's not too bad, and the pick, which will probably be an early non-lotto, has zero value to us, but a great deal of value for the rebuilding Warriors. It's a great trade for us, and a decent trade for GS. It should happen.
@justin
If that's available YOU ABSOLUTELY PULL THE TRIGGER. Where has that idea been floating around.
This trade idea has been floating around:
Etan Thomas, Matt Harpring, 2010 First Round Pick, Byron Mullens for Andris Biedrins, Vladimir Radmanovc.
Adds $15m of salary to next year's payroll but Vlad, Krstic, and Collison will all be expirings.
Not sure I'd do it though.
He'll be starting by next season IMO.
Russ shot too much in this game.
Harden's role is not as a sixth man on this team moving forward. He is our starting shooting guard. He is too dynamic, too talented, too much of a good thing to be kept out of the starting lineup. Thabo is the one who will be the sixth man all great teams have to have to be great, not Harden. Harden is too big of a talent to have his destiny be as a sixth man
Or he can just progress as the sixth man that all great teams have to have to be great.
Like Keith mentioned, what the heck is up with these ridiculous questions? Harden just had 22 points in 23 minutes on 9-14 shooting, yet these people can't ask him one question about him? All these questions were about other people. I like how Harden doesn't care and is more than willing to not acknowledge himself and praise others, but I as a fan want to hear about him
Harden needs to get that starting spot by next season at the absolute latest
Not that Westbrook deserves anything less than star attention tonight, but I would have liked Harden to get more questions about himself. Jennings and Evans dominated the ball, but Harden still came around and hit a bunch of shots and did a lot of great things. Also would have loved to hear what he thought about the way the Thunder are shaping up, especially in light of their dominant performances thus far in these showcases of young stars.