For over the last month and counting, Russell Westbrook has proven to play bigger than his size for the Houston Rockets. Is the former MVP on the verge of becoming the NBA’s new big man?
Despite working mightily to establish himself as one of the game’s top floor generals, Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook has often found his style of play maligned by various hoops critics for his shot selection.
In conjunction with his decision-making late in the closing seconds of countless tilts, as the man who rose to prominence with the Oklahoma City Thunder, was regarded to some as a player who settled for tightly contested jump shots instead of utilizing his greatest strengths with the game on the line.
Now, Westbrook is doing anything but allowing opposing defenses to get off easily, as the 11-year veteran has almost completely abandoned the 3-point line to attack and do yeoman’s work inside with Clutch City.
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Westbrook — who hoisted up 165 attempts from deep in his first 34 games with Houston — has only taken 22 shots from downtown over the last 12 games.
Yet he is still managing to play his most efficient basketball to date without it, as the former UCLA product is shooting 53 percent from the field for the Rockets over his last 15 outings.
"“I don’t know if it’s working,” Westbrook sarcastically said per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon after recently exploding for 34 points and six rebounds in Houston’s 120-110 win against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 22.“I get what I want…Get to the basket and shoot, drive and kick, pace and speed. It’s something you can’t scout for. You can scout for moves, you can scout for all that, but speed you can’t scout for. And that’s what I’ve got to my advantage.”"
Although most will likely credit Westbrook’s newfound love of attacking the rim to having more space to operate within the Rockets micro-ball lineup, one could say that the former MVP has sought to take it upon himself to become Houston’s big man in the wake of Clint Capela‘s recent departure.
Westbrook — who has scored 20 points or more in his last 28 contests — is currently averaging the most points in the paint of any player in the league since Jan. 1 with 21.1 points per game.
To put that into deeper perspective, Westbrook has scored 65.1 percent of his points within the lane to start the new year.
Russell Westbrook is scoring four more points per game inside the key than Giannis Antetokounmpo. Who is regarded as one of the league’s most dominating forces in the paint since Shaquille O’Neal, and stands eight inches taller than Westbrook himself.
"“We’re giving him space for him to go out there and do what he does at a high level,” Rockets guard James Harden said to reporters when asked about the stellar play of his backcourt mate during All-Star Media Day earlier this month.“What he’s been doing the last 12 years. That’s all you can give somebody that’s a former MVP. You go out there and you let him be himself…it’s only been a few months since he’s been here. He’s still getting adjusted, but he’s looking more comfortable and he’s playing more free.”"
Should Westbrook’s current scoring trends continue, then there is a chance that coaches may have to reassess how they defend him, as the 6’3″ guard who has found his balance is showing to be a much more methodical asset for the Houston Rockets.
A place that may likely help come to redefine the game as we know it.
Russell Westbrook and the Houston Rockets will seek their fourth straight victory as they get ready to go up against the New York Knicks at the Toyota Center on Monday.