KD handing the reigns over to WB like Wade to Lebron

[retaxis]

Its so obvious to see. KD is definitely taking a back seat this year and maybe for years to come. Probably had discussions with Westbrook years ago if we can't get a championship by xxxx...your the leader and i will take a back seat. Same thing like Wade to Lebron. KD has now handed the torch to Westbrook.

[imdaman99]

He still needs Durant to close out games. Russ is not the elite shooter that Durant is.

[retaxis]

Russ is the locker room presence, motivator and speaker before games and during games, leads by example through intensity (KG like) and not afraid to be a bad a22. KD is lacking in all those categories and can make some good shots here and there but he is not the leader this year thats for sure.

[Top Gun]

Wade was much more inferior to Lebron. KD and Westbrook are pretty equal.

[HALLandOATES]

Wade was much more inferior to Lebron. KD and Westbrook are pretty equal.wade was just as good from 2005-2011:wtf:

[LAZERUSS]

1. I think KD and Russ are equals.
2. I thought that Wade was fading...but he has played well this year (when he has played.) He looked great for much of the game yesterday. And he was getting good looks on the shots that he was missing, too.

To be honest, it seemed like Durant was more-or-less letting WB take the bulk of the shots last year, too. Anyway, I don't think OKC really cares who the "leader" is. They just need them both healthy.

[Top Gun]

Forgot Lebron played for Miami in 2005.....

[SpanishACB]

Its so obvious to see. KD is definitely taking a back seat this year and maybe for years to come. Probably had discussions with Westbrook years ago if we can't get a championship by xxxx...your the leader and i will take a back seat. Same thing like Wade to Lebron. KD has now handed the torch to Westbrook.

do you take yourself seriously?

[bizil]

KD is still working his way back from injuries. So it's a luxury to have a true alpha in Russ who can pick up the slack. But the thing is KD is a pure shooter AND great slasher in one! Dude is 6'11 on top of it. This has NEVER been seen before at the SF position! KD is basically gonna have a mismatch EVERY NIGHT! Even moreso than Westbrook. KD is a 50-40-90 potential kind of player. So let's PUMP OUR BRAKES!! Both are alpha dogs!

But with Russ being the PG, I don't mind him scoring the amount of points he does. I just wish he was more of a floor general-dime dropper to go with it. But he's still a great player who OKC needs to be aggressive scoring. Even WHEN KD is in the lineup.

[Budadiiii]

You people are really stupid.

Like, really ****ing stupid. :facepalm

How can Westbrook ever be the man when 9 times out of 10, the 4th quater is owned by Durant? Westbrook literally waslks the ball up the court and GIVES Durant the ball practically every possession and gets out of the way. When we need a basket, it goes to KD.

So KD has the much better numbers(when they play together) and is the undisputed closer.

But somehow this is Westbrook's team? Doesn't make sense to me.

[LongLiveTheKing]

You people are really stupid.

Like, really ****ing stupid. :facepalm

How can Westbrook ever be the man when 9 times out of 10, the 4th quater is owned by Durant? Westbrook literally waslks the ball up the court and GIVES Durant the ball practically every possession and gets out of the way. When we need a basket, it goes to KD.

So KD has the much better numbers(when they play together) and is the undisputed closer.

But somehow this is Westbrook's team? Doesn't make sense to me.
This guy says he's a thunder fan.

[Natureland]

Are people intentionally forgetting Durant was coming back from foot surgery and probably wanted Westbrook to turn up his game even more while he got back into game form or...?

[red1]

clearly westbrook's team

[Nash]

whats wrong with calling it westbrooks team? It's not like Westbrook is one of the best players in the league or anything, huh?

also, I don't expect it to be exactly like Lebron and Wade because the difference between those two guys was greater than KD and Westbrook but for sure OKC/KD has to take Russ' improvement into account.

[J Shuttlesworth]

How can Westbrook ever be the man when 9 times out of 10, the 4th quater is owned by Durant? Westbrook literally waslks the ball up the court and GIVES Durant the ball practically every possession and gets out of the way. When we need a basket, it goes to KD.
Wow you clearly didn't watch the playoffs last year. I can't even consider you an actual Thunder fan anymore

[Artillery]

You people are really stupid.

Like, really ****ing stupid. :facepalm

How can Westbrook ever be the man when 9 times out of 10, the 4th quater is owned by Durant? Westbrook literally waslks the ball up the court and GIVES Durant the ball practically every possession and gets out of the way. When we need a basket, it goes to KD.

So KD has the much better numbers(when they play together) and is the undisputed closer.

But somehow this is Westbrook's team? Doesn't make sense to me.

Westbrook outplayed Durant in last year's playoffs too. Not a very good playoff run for someone that was supposed to be the MVP. You can tell Westbrook was the true alpha with the way he was barking orders at Durant during the Spurs series.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Let Westbrook's competitiveness carry them in the regular season. They need Durant's skill, and smart decision making come playoff time. So maybe by letting Westbrook get his emotional yayas out like a small child in the regular season, he'll be more prone to playing it smart come playoff time. Plus it allows KD to ease his way back from injury, and ramp his game up for the post season.

[Top Gun]

Durant will be fresh for the playoffs. He will dominate the playoffs and win the title this year.

[navy]

Durant will be fresh for the playoffs. He will dominate the playoffs and win the title this year.
If he plays bad(for his standards) people will claim he was rusty....

[Top Gun]

If he plays bad(for his standards) people will claim he was rusty....

No matter what he does he will get criticised somehow, it's the way of the modern world.

[Budadiiii]

If he plays bad(for his standards) people will claim he was rusty....
No ****ing way. No way.

Stop with the trolling. Durant is set to have a monstrous post season. GOAT level stuff.

There's no "if he plays bad" because there's 0% chance he will.

[Top Gun]

Durant is set to have a monstrous post season. GOAT level stuff.

Preach brother. :bowdown:

[navy]

No ****ing way. No way.

Stop with the trolling. Durant is set to have a monstrous post season. GOAT level stuff.
I doubt it.

And if we are being honest the Thunder need to stop putting so much stock into Durant and Westbrook. They now have a team where it shouldnt require both of them to drop 30+ to win.

[Mr. I'm So Rad]

Why are people acting like this hasn't been the case since like 2011? Westbrook has always been OKC's leader and most important piece.

[Budadiiii]

Why are people acting like this hasn't been the case since like 2011? Westbrook has always been OKC's leader and most important piece.
:roll: :roll: :roll:

[SamuraiSWISH]

Why are people acting like this hasn't been the case since like 2011? Westbrook has always been OKC's leader and most important piece.
:oldlol:

[TiagoSimoes]

This guy says he's a thunder fan.

huh where was he wrong? KD is the best player in the team, and when the team need a basket the ball goes to durant

[Papaya Petee]

whats wrong with calling it westbrooks team? It's not like Westbrook is one of the best players in the league or anything, huh?

also, I don't expect it to be exactly like Lebron and Wade because the difference between those two guys was greater than KD and Westbrook but for sure OKC/KD has to take Russ' improvement into account.

It was because Wades knees went to shit for 3 years. In 2011 they were equal to each other.

Westbrook is averaging absurd numbers right now, with KD back he'll finish around 25\7\6 IMO, and could be argued for 1A 1B with Durant, but at the end of the day Durant is slightly better.

[Top Gun]

At peak Durant is more deadly. If both can manage to play at their peak together they will be unstoppable.

[J Shuttlesworth]

huh where was he wrong? KD is the best player in the team, and when the team need a basket the ball goes to durant
That's maybe how it should be, but Westbrook definitely took the initiative late in the game in the playoffs last year, especailly against memphis

[nba_55]

huh where was he wrong? KD is the best player in the team, and when the team need a basket the ball goes to durant
:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

[3ball]

Preach brother. :bowdown:
testifyyyy my brethren

[JohnFreeman]

Its always been Goatbrooks team

[nba_55]

Let Westbrook's competitiveness carry them in the regular season. They need Durant's skill, and smart decision making come playoff time. So maybe by letting Westbrook get his emotional yayas out like a small child in the regular season, he'll be more prone to playing it smart come playoff time. Plus it allows KD to ease his way back from injury, and ramp his game up for the post season.
:roll: :roll: :roll:

[CJ Mustard]

Westbrook is obviously the alpha male personality wise on that team, and it's not close either. The team got PUNKED by Memphis the year Westbrook was out, with Durant looking like a chump all series. Not to mention Durant cost them Game 6 of the WCF last year while Westbrook was the man.

Durant is a more talented/skilled scorer, but Westbrook is the heart and soul of that team. I'll bet money that if they ever win the title, Westbrook is the Finals MVP.

[3ball]

:roll: :roll: :roll:
as long as both are healthy, that's all that matters - it could easily be either guy's team...

and durant is clearly waiting for the playoffs - that's all he's waiting for... it's been a long enough wait with the team's injuries the last 2 years... i'd be surprised if he doesn't totally blow up in the postseason.

other than roberson being a major part of the lineup, i like the way this season is going.. but i predict that morrow or lamb will have a daniel gibson moment and show brooks that the ceiling of the team is much higher with a scorer at the 2-guard (otherwise, durant and westbrook have no one on the perimeter to pass to when the defense hones in on them, as the defense always does in the playoffs).

it's just harder to win a series on defense alone nowadays... if team A has a better offense than team B, it's harder than it used to be for team B to make up the offensive deficit with good defense or physical play - physical play has been banned, 3-point shooting gives teams more spurtability, and the spacing guarantees all teams a minimum amount of open shots.

we saw it last year - the spurs didn't beat the Heat by shutting them down defensively - indeed, the Heat's ORtg was reasonable in that series and they actually shot really well, the best of any Spurs opponent - so the Spurs didn't win with defense.

Instead, the Spurs beat the Heat by employing a superior brand of offense and simply outscoring them to the point that the Heat defense gave up - the Heat defense giving up is why the Spurs went crazy offensively ONLY against the Heat... the other Spurs opponents could keep up better offensively, so they weren't as quick to give up defensively.
.

[Nash]

Didn't Westbrook outplay Durant last playoffs?

[fpliii]

Let Westbrook's competitiveness carry them in the regular season. They need Durant's skill, and smart decision making come playoff time. So maybe by letting Westbrook get his emotional yayas out like a small child in the regular season, he'll be more prone to playing it smart come playoff time. Plus it allows KD to ease his way back from injury, and ramp his game up for the post season.
Damn. Swish went in hard on WB.

I agree KD is clearly the superior player and perhaps the best in the league. I'm not sure what the correct formula is for him and WB though.

[LoneyROY7]

Let Westbrook's competitiveness carry them in the regular season. They need Durant's skill, and smart decision making come playoff time. So maybe by letting Westbrook get his emotional yayas out like a small child in the regular season, he'll be more prone to playing it smart come playoff time. Plus it allows KD to ease his way back from injury, and ramp his game up for the post season.

Damn, a small child averaging 29/7/6 on 47 percent shooting? Sh*t, I wish my team had more children on it.

[nba_55]

as long as both are healthy, that's all that matters - it could easily be either guy's team...

and durant is clearly waiting for the playoffs - that's all he's waiting for... it's been a long enough wait with the team's injuries the last 2 years... i'd be surprised if he doesn't totally blow up in the postseason.

other than roberson being a major part of the lineup, i like the way this season is going.. but i predict that morrow or lamb will have a daniel gibson moment and show brooks that the ceiling of the team is much higher with a scorer at the 2-guard (otherwise, durant and westbrook have no one on the perimeter to pass to when the defense hones in on them, as the defense always does in the playoffs).

it's just harder to win a series on defense alone nowadays... if team A has a better offense than team B, it's harder than it used to be for team B to make up the offensive deficit with good defense or physical play - physical play has been banned, 3-point shooting gives teams more spurtability, and the spacing guarantees all teams a minimum amount of open shots.

we saw it last year - the spurs didn't beat the Heat by shutting them down defensively - indeed, the Heat's ORtg was reasonable in that series and they actually shot really well, the best of any Spurs opponent - so the Spurs didn't win with defense.

Instead, the Spurs beat the Heat by employing a superior brand of offense and simply outscoring them to the point that the Heat defense gave up - the Heat defense giving up is why the Spurs went crazy offensively ONLY against the Heat... the other Spurs opponents could keep up better offensively, so they weren't as quick to give up defensively.
.

and now ask me if I come in here to read essays!

[nba_55]

Didn't Westbrook outplay Durant last playoffs?

He did!

[Artillery]

Westbrook putting Durbeta in his place. Won't even dare look Russ in the face:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgoXOSGzX98

[nba_55]

Westbrook putting Durbeta in his place. Won't even dare look Russ in the face:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgoXOSGzX98
:roll: :roll: :roll:

[Spurs5Rings2014]

Westbrook putting Durbeta in his place. Won't even dare look Russ in the face:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgoXOSGzX98

:lol

[La Frescobaldi]

Westbrook outplayed Durant in last year's playoffs too. Not a very good playoff run for someone that was supposed to be the MVP. You can tell Westbrook was the true alpha with the way he was barking orders at Durant during the Spurs series.

yeah but in fairness who knew (except..... well.... me & The Immortal (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=339702) :lol ) that
Leonard is actually a Leopard?

Carefully staying silent to the League until the right time to attack:

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cSV1kTsm5cA/0.jpg

Thunder never had a chance when that cat came out the bag....

[GrapeApe]

No ****ing way. No way.

Stop with the trolling. Durant is set to have a monstrous post season. GOAT level stuff.

There's no "if he plays bad" because there's 0% chance he will.

People would have probably said there was 0% chance LeBron would have played bad in the '11 finals, but it happens. The challenge when you have two elite players is finding a way for them to work together as opposed to taking turns. For that happen, one or both players need to make sacrifices.