Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 big questions following 2019 NBA All-Star break

1. What version of Russell Westbrook will they get going forward?

Russell Westbrook has taken a step back this season as Paul George is having MVP-caliber year. In Westbrook’s MVP season in 2016-17, his usage rate was an astonishing 41.7 percent. Last season, it dropped to 34.1 percent. This season, it’s dropped once again to 30.9 percent, the lowest mark of his career since the 2009-10 season. He’s also averaging the most assists of his career at 11.2 per game.

Westbrook has a history of becoming more ball-dominant late in the season, especially in the playoffs. The Thunder seem to be at their best when he distributes the ball more, and shoots less. That’s especially true this year, as he’s posting ugly .417/.249/.656 shooting splits.

Will Russ continue distributing and let Paul George handle the scoring load, or go back into high-usage MVP mode himself?