Oklahoma City Thunder: 2018-19 NBA season preview

Storyline 1: Russell Westbrook, hero or villain?

This question is a popular one, and admittedly it’s not easy to answer. Westbrook is a polarizing player, from his attitude on the court all the way down to his fashion sense. Love him or hate him, you have to admit he’s entertaining.

Back in the Kevin Durant days in Oklahoma City there was a lot of speculation about whose fault it was that the team couldn’t seem to get over the hump. Was it Westbrook’s fault for taking too many contested jumpers late in games, or was Durant’s tendency to revert to “hero ball” and try to take control in the final minutes?

They made it to the NBA Finals in 2012 but couldn’t get past the Miami Heat. Then in 2016, they were up 3-1 against the Warriors in the conference finals but were unable to put them away. You can watch a lot of tape and pull a lot of stats to support your argument one way or another, but the only thing that is certain is that Westbrook and Durant couldn’t win together.

https://twitter.com/TreyHob21/status/329077734825422848

Now, part of Westbrook’s journey has to include proving that he can play alongside other superstars, that he can coexist with other great players, that he can win not only without Durant but with someone else. It’s a question we haven’t had a chance to answer yet because, quite frankly, this will be the first year since the Durant trade that Westbrook will actually have enough talent surrounding him to make a legitimate run at a championship.

Russell Westbrook may be the hero Oklahoma City deserves, but not the one it needs right now. This season will certainly swing the debate, because if the Thunder crash and burn, it will be hard not to blame him.