Friday Bolts – 8.20.13

Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider with player profiles: “The James Harden trade put Westbrook back in the role of lead ball handler after he shared those duties with Harden in 2011-12. While his assist rate bounced back, Westbrook managed to cut his turnover rate further, an indication that he’s taking fewer bad risks. That hasn’t stopped Westbrook from being aggressive getting to the rim. He attempted 383 shots within two feet of the basket, good for third in the league, per Basketball-Reference.com. When opponents play off him, Westbrook has developed into a consistent midrange shooter. He particularly loves to pull up at the elbow off pick-and-rolls. It’s hard to believe now that Westbrook was considered a better defender than offensive player when he matriculated at UCLA. The physical tools are still there, but Westbrook is inconsistent with his effort and often gets lost when defending off the ball. He is good at coming up with steals and has improved his defensive rebounding to make up for the fact that he no longer attacks the offensive glass with the ferocity he once did.”

Eric Pincus of the LA Times looks at if the Lakers are better than OKC: “Depth is an issue for the Thunder. They’re almost completely reliant on the play of Durant and Westbrook. That said, the Oklahoma City duo is good enough to put the Thunder ahead of the Lakers. The Thunder won 60 games last year and even if they dip as low as 55, they’re probably about 10 games ahead of the Lakers this season. The Lakers need Bryant back from Achilles surgery quickly and completely. Oklahoma City is the better defensive team. The Lakers should be an offensive force this season but then so will the Thunder. The difference between the two — Oklahoma City will get stops when needed. While the Lakers won’t finish last in the Western Conference, they also won’t finish first — the Thunder are the better team.”

Kevin Durant is ranked second by SI.com: “All that efficient offense helped Durant post a career-best 122 offensive rating, but he took big strides on the other end, too. He set career-highs in blocks and steals while also posting a career-best 100 defensive rating. That two-way play was a key factor in Oklahoma City enjoying loads of blowout victories last season, and the Thunder’s +9.2 margin of victory was the second-best of any team in the post-Jordan era (only the 2008 Celtics were better). In the short term, these accomplishments went for naught in the playoffs, as Russell Westbrook went down with a knee injury and Durant was unable to singlehandedly conquer the Grizzlies’ team defense. History should remember Durant’s amazing season, though, unless he raises the bar even higher next year.”

Russell Westbrook is ranked fifth by SI.com: “Westbrook may not ever have the full control that empowers the two point guards that outrank him here, but to what extent that really matters is negotiable. At present, he’s already in a dead-tie with Parker at the least — nudged down ever so slightly in light of his meniscus tear (which isn’t expected to hold him back, but stranger things have happened) and Parker’s incredibly successful postseason. Otherwise, Westbrook’s volcanic game stacks up with the finest at his position. He compensates for his weaknesses (iffy shooting percentages, shaky playmaking judgment, lack of defensive discipline) by regularly accomplishing the extraordinary, and in that offers a unique, catalytic influence.”

James Harden is ranked 11th best by SI.com.

Tom Ziller of SB Nation: “Unfortunately, too many fans get caught up in that game repeatedly, even with Synergy. What does “Brook Lopez is No. 116 in post defense” even mean? It’s an easy hook, and comparing two players in a way that cuts the grain — say, Isaiah Thomas and Kyrie Irving — will always be a popular topic. But this data can challenge generations-old tropes, test what we believe to be common sense, help us find and fill holes in our understanding of the game. At the end of the day, if all we use SportVU for is to figure out how bad Kobe Bryant is at team defense, it’ll be a waste of the treasure we’re being given. (That said, the first thing I’m looking into is Kobe’s team defense.)”