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NBA’s Expected, Surprise And Overdue Breakout Players

By Matt Peterson

Nov 25, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) shoots over Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic (15) in the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Thunder won 132-129. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 25, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) shoots over Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic (15) in the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Thunder won 132-129. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 26, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) drives to the basket in front of Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) drives to the basket in front of Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Expected Breakout Player: Russell Westbrook

2015-16 stats: 23.5 ppg, 10. 4 apg, 7.8 rpg, 31.6 USG%, 27.6 PER
2016-17 stats: 31.2 ppg, 11.1 apg, 9.9 rpg, 40.8 USG%, 30.6 PER

Mother of God.

To be fair, we should have seen this coming after seeing what Russell Westbrook did sans-Kevin Durant (injury) in 2014-15. Aside from the sheer volume of production, however, we’re also seeing the kind of efficiency we thought had a snowball’s chance in hell at happening.

Westbrook’s true shooting percentage (so far, anyway) is actually the second-best mark of his career, just 0.7percent worse than last season

Only 0.7-percent worse after brutally subtracting Durant from the equation? Wow. Credit Westbrook’s increasing comfort level with the long ball. He’s chucking a career-high 5.4 attempts per contest … and making a career-best 33.7 percent of them.

It’s the version of Westbrook no one outside of OKC wants to think about: unleashed and able to do damage from anywhere on the court.

Honorable Mention: James Harden, Jimmy Butler, Damian Lillard