Friday Bolts – 3.6.15
Neil Paine of 538 on MVP: “So do you still give the 2014-15 MVP to the best player? OK, then give it to James. Or do you honor the player who has had the best season? Then you have to decide between Harden and Curry. Or maybe you just eschew the whole process and give it to Westbrook — if not the Most Valuable, possibly the Most Electrifying Player in the NBA right now.”
Darnell Mayberry: “Inside the final five seconds, Westbrook air-balled a 22-foot jumper that resulted in a shot-clock violation on a trip that could have pushed the Thunder’s lead to three, he left his man alone in the corner to double team the post, allowing E’Twaun Moore enough room to nail a game-winning 3 from the left corner, and he foiled a potential game-tying or game-winning possession by stepping out of bounds with 1.2 seconds remaining after receiving an inbounds pass from Dion Waiters. But much like when everything was going right for him, Westbrook didn’t seem fazed when things fell apart late Thursday.”
Tom Haberstroh in a 5-on-5 talking MVP: “Russell Westbrook. He’s putting together the most offensively dominant season ever (no, really). He accounts for a league-leading 45.7 points per game via his own shot or his assists. As much as I want to rank him No. 1 on this list, I can’t ignore that he’s played about 700 fewer minutes than Harden and 400 fewer than Curry. The MVP is for 2014-15, not just 2015. But I’m guessing Westbrook will be happy with ruling the world instead.”
I wrote on Westbrook’s game for that other place.
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com on Westbrook: “This is all to say that Westbrook’s play is just as unbelievably phenomenally brilliant as his numbers would indicate and as the highlights show. But it’s also a testament not only to his ability, but that mindset, to constantly attack. Westbrook sometimes is criticized for holding the Thunder back with that approach when Kevin Durant is on the floor. But with OKC still fighting just to make the playoffs in a year that’s gone so awry in so many ways, you wan this killer robot on your side. You need this killer robot on your side.”
Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post: “Westbrook has become the most dominant force in the sport at 6-foot, 3-inches. He has averaged seven rebounds per game this year, which ranks 47th in the league. Every player with more stands four inches taller than him, none of them play guard, which takes him further away from the basket. A lot of players in basketball history have been able to impose themselves on the game in every way, whether they have the ball or not. None of them were as short, and few were as menacing, as Westbrook.”
Sam Presti sent Craig Sager a new blazer.
Anthony Slater: “Kanter’s lackluster defense, again, was exposed. And his offensive line — only six points and six rebounds — makes you wonder why he played 30 minutes. But those struggles seemed to be more about a lack of touches. Kanter only got six shots in those 30 minutes. The lethal pick-and-roll between he and Westbrook was nowhere to be seen most of the night. And the Thunder didn’t post him much, even when he had position. Check out this fourth quarter two-man game between he and Waiters. After a couple quick passes, Kanter is wide open with solid post position on Gasol. A post entry pass would have been easy for Waiters. But instead, he dribbles around for a little bit and fires up a fadeaway brick.”
Allow me to dap myself for writing this in November: “That’s what we’re in for over the next four to six weeks as Durant recovers. Westbrook may put up five triple-doubles and average 28-8-8. Or he may shoot 34 percent from the field and turn it over six times a game. Or he may do both. He’s a maniac with tunnel vision only for winning at all costs. With him backed into a corner, his survival instincts are about to kick into overdrive.” So I was wrong, though. It wasn’t 28-8-8. It was 30-10-10.
