Oklahoma City Thunder: 2017-18 NBA season preview
Storyline 2: What role does Russell Westbrook fill this season?
Last season was the Russell Westbrook show. One of the league’s most explosive athletes became one of its biggest stories, and Westbrook attacked the rim over and over to not only win 47 games, but take home the MVP award.
This season will be different, if only because averaging a triple-double is an impossible feat to maintain. But even more so, the roster around Westbrook looks very different than it did six months ago. This is no longer a group of role players and Russ; this is Russ, PG-13 and Melo.
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This is still his team, and his town. Paul George is an incredible talent, but he is not LeBron James circa 2010, coming into the Heat and taking Dwyane Wade’s team from him. Westbrook is the top guy here, and the best order behind him is George, then Anthony.
Will George and Anthony seek to thrive as off-ball threats, spotting up around Westbrook’s intense drives? Will head coach Billy Donovan seek to stagger minutes to give everyone time to seek their own shots? These are important questions that will determine not only Westbrook’s season, but the Thunder’s.
The pure ball dominance of last season partially obscures how Westbrook thrived alongside Durant in past seasons. Oklahoma City made the Western Conference Finals four times with that pairing, one time advancing to the Finals.
For this team to see that level of success, Westbrook will need to be its best star– but not its only one. Striking a balance with his two new wingmen will go a long way towards this team reaching its ceiling.