Historic Season In Hand, It’s Time For Russell Westbrook To Pursue Bigger Winning

Now that Russell Westbrook has completed a historic season, it’s time for his teammates to step up and for him to step back

Russell Westbrook entered Friday night’s game in Phoenix needing six assists to hit the magic number: 820. That is the maximum number of games to be played in a season, multiplied by 10. 

He recorded his 820th assist of the season early in the third quarter, officially clinching a season-average triple-double, joining Oscar Robertson as the only other NBA player to ever do so. That astonishing, Hall of Fame-sealing feat almost makes up for not having Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City. But only this year.

Kevin Durant’s free agency signing with the Golden State Warriors was like a tornado to the state of Oklahoma. He was there from the beginning, and the most important participant in team’s amazing jump from lottery team to contender.

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Before James Harden or Russell Westbrook were putting up astronomical scoring or assist numbers, Kevin Durant was the second best player on the planet behind only LeBron James. He was the Thunder’s best player through at least 2014, when the Thunder lost for the 2nd time in four years in the Western Conference Finals.

Certainly, many pundits proposed bold possibilities about what Westbrook would do without Durant this season. Some predicted the team would miss the playoffs. Some predicted he would lead the league in points and assists. Some even predicted he would do what hadn’t been done since 1962; average a triple-double throughout the season.

The longer the season went on, the closer this fantasy became to being real. And the more his rebounding and assist averages mattered – even proportionate to the team’s record. Amazingly, the team managed to win more games than most predicted, while Westbrook put up historic numbers.

Whether spoken, or unspoken, the fans wanted Westbrook to get this season long triple-double. It would give fans something amazing to cheer about, after having their heart – and championship window – ripped out last summer. Oklahoma City needed this. The NBA community loved it. But once history is made, a new chapter will inevitably begin.

I doubt anyone will care as much if Westbrook averages a triple-double next year. I, for one, will be rooting against it, because it could diminish the majesty of this season we are currently witnessing. Also because most great have to take a step back for their teams to win championships.

Kobe Bryant put up historic numbers in his 2006 and 2007 scoring campaigns, but then became a better teammate – on a contending team – after his astronomical stats came back to mere superstar levels. Michael Jordan also had his most amazing statistical seasons before he started winning championships. Even LeBron, who seems to keep getting better each and every year – and is currently averaging career highs in assists and rebounds – may never top his 2006 or 2010 statical benchmarks, but he now definitely trusts his teammates more than the subpar ones he had in his original Cleveland days.

In trading for Victor Oladipo last offseason, the Thunder sought a near All-Star to compliment Westbrook in the backcourt, yet he has rarely played the primary ball handler all season, because that would take away from Westbrook’s assist statistics. Perhaps they are hoping their young big men like Domantas Sabonis will hone their passing chops, allowing them to play an inside-out style of basketball.

But these experiments have sensibly been delayed. This season was all about Russell Westbrook, and it has been an amazing ride. Now, like all elite players, Westbrook will have to expand his game by becoming a greater off-ball threat, and that will surely reduce his assist totals.

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I have been a Westbrook homer since Derrick Rose’s MVP season, which was probably the start of the anti-Westbrook movement, as he was seen as a poor man’s “Derrick Rose-South” to quote Skip Bayless on numerous instances. And I am thrilled that his amazing season splits and half court passes have likely cemented his reputation as one of this era’s best players.

Moving forward, the Thunder needs its role players to do more, and Westbrook to do less. His on/off net ratings are simply not indicative of a healthy, well rounded offense. The Thunder does not generate many Spurs or Warriors-esq secondary assists (currently 29th). Partially this is by design, as they don’t have the personnel to excel as a “motion” offense. But certainly, a part of it is because the team, the fans, and the media wanted to boost an image of Russell Westbrook as the most impactful player in the game.

One demonstrative stat, tweeted by ESPN Stats & Info, perfectly encapsulated the individual brilliance of Westbrook, and the near-uselessness of his teammates:

"STAT: “Russell Westbrook has made 75 of the @okcthunder’s 120 shots in the clutch this season. 72 of the 75 have been unassisted”"

Westbrook’s teammates have watched him dominate the ball like no player in league history ever has (41.7 usage rate) and once he passes the ball, they rarely pump fake and kick to a more-open shooter, or drive with multiple dribbles. Their intent seems to be to make a basket that assures Westbrook receives credit for an assist. But guys like Oladipo are capable of more than standing in the corner.

You can occasionally see the disappointment on players’ faces when they get fouled but can’t covert what would’ve been an assist for Westbrook – although drawing fouls is a skill as well, that proves valuable late in games, especially if the foul was committed by an opponent’s key contributor. It seems often that the recipients of Westbrook passes are more concerned with taking shots that could lead to Westbrook assists that getting clean shots (whether they register as assists or not).

(Westrbook) should be willing to forego awe-inspiring individual stats, in the interest of maximizing his teammates’ potentials

Taj Gibson said this after Westbrook recorded his 41st triple-double of the year, against the Bucks: “‘Ah, I got to put it in for him.’ I think most of us want him to achieve the ultimate goal sometimes more than himself. I put a lot of pressure on myself to finish, because he always sets us up for great opportunities for scoring.” 

There is no doubt that Westbrook helps all of his teammates find easier shots. There is also no doubt that when Kevin Durant, Kevin Martin, Reggie Jackson, and even Dion Waiters were allowed to handle the ball, Westbrook became more open. I wrote a few months ago how Victor Oladipo is Oklahoma City’s most important player. If he can generate more assists – potentially even at the expense of Westbrook’s assists – the team can take on a different dynamic, that of a less-predictable team.

Now Westbrook has achieved that ultimate feat, and the team and fans should continue basking in the glory the remainder of the season and the whole offseason – regardless of how the playoffs go. But come next season, and the season after, the $184 million contracts of Oladipo and Steven Adams will feel somewhat wasted if they can’t evolve past good role players.

While Westbrook has overcome many double and triple teams to hit clutch shots, he should eventually aspire to be more open. The obvious way is to let his teammates develop, and need him less obviously.

Averaging a triple-double for the whole season means Russell Westbrook is now most assuredly a lock for the Naismith Hall of Fame, and his point guard skills will never again be (fairly) questioned. He should be willing to forego awe-inspiring individual stats, in the interest of maximizing his teammates’ potentials.