The Thunder were up 3-1 over the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, and choked away a chance to have the match-up basketball fans would have drooled over for years. LeBron James had Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love prepared for either OKC or the Warriors. Normally if you are facing a “Big Three,” you had better come equipped with one of your own. Then again, “KD” and Westbrook were showing a 73-9 Warrior team they did not need backup. They could have used an extra cup for center Steven Adams, but that’s another subject.
On July 7, 2016, Durant decided he did not need any sort of athletic support, when he voluntarily neutered himself in signing with the Warriors. A day later, the staff at Merriam Webster had to consider putting a sketch of Durant next to the word “bitch” for their 2017 dictionaries.
Listen, LeBron is the greatest player on the planet, even at 31. Durant is right behind him, but is still sucking exhaust fumes. LeBron coming back home to Cleveland was a family move. Durant going to play for the team he could not dethrone is simply pathetic.
If you look at the league leaders at the break, you see LeBron in the top five in the league in assists. Westbrook’s name is at the top of the scoring list (31.1 points per game)...a full 2.2 points-per-game ahead of Boston’s Isaiah Thomas. In fact, Durant is nowhere to be found in the top five of any major stat category. Westbrook not only leads the league in scoring, but you might as well put his name on the MVP trophy right now, even if he suffers some sort of season-ending injury at tonight’s All-Star game.
Westbrook has 27 triple-doubles in just 57 games. I don’t think a common fan can completely understand just how impressive that is. A triple-double occurs on average about 35 times a season, which is about once every 36 games. “Beastbrook” has 12 more of these feats than Houston’s James Harden, the only other player in the league in double digits. You didn’t need to be an analyst on one of the big three networks to see Westbrook’s numbers were going to go up after his tag team partner left. Granted, the Thunder are only 32-26 at the break, and comfortably sit seventh in the West. (I say comfortable because they are the last Western Conference team above .500).
The big talk going into the All-Star festivities was if Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr would play all four of his Warriors on the floor at the same time with Westbrook. Every reporter with a microphone or a notepad has been trying to get something out of either Westbrook or Durant about being on the same team again, if just for a night. Westbrook talked about Fashion Week, rather than answer a single question directed his way. The real question should not be how Westbrook can be on the same sideline as the guy with the yellow streak down his spine, but how Westbrook is not even starting tonight’s game.
The two were seen repeatedly talking to each other--in much less than a jovial tone--when the Thunder and Warriors met back on February 12. During practice yesterday, the two passed each other in the bowels of the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Not a word was said, and neither made eye contact. Durant even stepped around reporters to stay at least five feet away at all times. Westbrook was enjoying himself with some of the arena staff, and Durant had a blank expression hidden on his face, with the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up.
Seriously, this is just annoying to watch anymore. Put the two in any type of cage, and let’s just have it out. (Then again, basketball players are the worst fighters…) It’s like watching a reality TV show about a divorce, but it just won’t end. Westbrook is moody, but has a finishing instinct only matched in today’s game by LeBron.
I’m certainly no relationship expert, but these two will have to discuss the issue at some point. It will be glorious when it happens, but I don’t feel like waiting around months or years until it happens. Durant does not have any argument he can make to save face, and Westbrook knows it. This is why even when dodging the question you see Westbrook smiling every time the camera is on him. Oklahoma City was built as Durant’s team after moving from Seattle, and Westbrook was supposed to be the guy who brought the franchise their first championship since 1979. How appropriate that the understudy has assumed control, and run past the guy who left? The Thunder are the most exciting middle-of-the-pack team in the NBA right now, because you have to see what Westbrook is going to do next. His performances this year are outshining Golden State’s record run last year.
Durant may get to hoist a trophy this summer, while Westbrook is home watching on TV. However, Westbrook still gets the last, and best laugh.
I’m wondering what the over/under mark is on the number of passes he makes tonight to any Warrior is, because that may be something I wouldn’t mind putting a few “credits” down on.
-JC24