NBA Play-In must-follow storylines: Wizards vs Celtics
Key NBA Play-In Question #1: Can Russell Westbrook keep it up?
Russell Westbrook has been on an absolute tear the last few months. After a disastrous start to the season where he was unequivocally a negative for the Wizards while on the court, Westbrook caught his groove and began to run Washington’s offense as an involved general. Massive shat-stuffing efforts led to career highs in rebounds and assists per game; as a point guard, he led the league in total rebounds since the All-Star Break.
For the season Westbrook averaged 22.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-leading 11.7 assists per game. He yet again led the league in triple-doubles with 38, the sixth time in his career he has paced the NBA in that stat. Historically Westbrook’s teams have won 75 percent of their games when Westbrook hits that round-numbered benchmark.
What is so valuable about Westbrook’s relentless attack-the-paint style is that opposing defenses are trained to snuff out penetration. Even if he is borderline out-of-control, his speed in rushing the rim sucks defenders to him. That opens up passing lanes for him to hit open shooters, or drop off the ball to a waiting center in the dunker’s spot. Even if Westbrook himself is relatively inefficient (43.9 percent from the field and 31.5 percent from 3-point range) he pries open opportunities for his teammates to take high-efficiency shots off of his passes.
24 of Westbrook’s last 29 games have resulted in a triple-double, and in three of those five, he finished with nine assists. The momentum of the last two months suggests he will post another one Tuesday night. Yet there is a huge difference between Westbrook shooting 5 for 15 and putting up 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and going 13 for 20 with 35-20-16.
The Celtics have options to slow Westbrook down, with Marcus Smart a solid option because he can help stymie Westbrook on-ball and rove off of him when Westbrook gives it up. Yet if Boston wants to deploy Smart on Bradley Beal, they have to make the decision between a weaker defender (Kemba Walker or Evan Fournier) or a slower one in Grant Williams or even Tristan Thompson.
Westbrook will get his stats; the question becomes whether the Celtics can make it painful enough that the overall efficiency of the team is held back. Staying home on shooters and goading Westbrook into shooting himself is the best route to the desired outcome, and history tells us there is a good chance Westbrook falls into that trap.