Westbrook’s Stats vs. Curry’s Offense
By Paul Matli
Russell Westbrook is the best point guard in the NBA, according to stats. Stephen Curry is the best point guard in the NBA if we take into account what playing the position actually entails.
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A point guard is supposed to run the teams offense by facilitating, opening up space for everybody else and making sure every player is involved. This is why Curry is the best point guard in the NBA. He doesn’t care about his assist numbers, he cares about winning. Westbrook cares about his assists numbers.
Curry is the scariest player in the NBA for opposing defenses. No other player in the league has to face two and three defenders every single possession. Because teams bring multiple defenders at Curry it enables Draymond Green to get most of the assists that Curry otherwise would get if he played one on one.
If hockey assists were a stat, there’s no question Curry would be first in that category. He makes the play that sets up the whole offense, Green just finishes the play by getting the assist. The extra attention on Curry is what opens up the Warriors offense.
With Westbrook, teams don’t fear him the way they fear Curry. Westbrook is an average outside shooter at best. Teams are okay allowing him to shoot jump shots because he’s a volume shooter. Westbrook doesn’t create the space for his teammates that Curry does, because he’s not as lethal as Curry.
Westbrook’s playing style is similar to Rajon Rondo and James Harden.
What is this playing style? The playing style is dribble the basketball until they can get a shot up or until somebody gets open. By playing this way it enables them to pad their stats. This is why Westbrook has better assists numbers than Curry. Also, having Kevin Durant doesn’t hurt either.
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If Curry wanted to play the way Westbrook does, he would easily have 10 assists per game. This is not the Warriors style. The Warriors style is ball movement, ball movement and more ball movement. This new ERA of basketball is what makes the Warriors so lethal. Curry is the leader of this offense in more ways than his assists numbers illustrate.
The differences between the two players will be on display this Saturday when the Thunder visit Oracle Arena for the first time.
Curry is already playing mind games with Westbrook. Curry knows how volatile Westbrook is. By Curry guaranteeing a win, he knows Westbrook will come out aggressive and try and outscore him, just like Derrick Rose did a couple weeks ago. By doing this Westbrook will play right into the Warriors hands.
Even though Westbrook’s style of play will not win championships theres no denying he’s the most physically gifted point guard to ever play the game because of his size, speed, athleticism and competitiveness.
Westbrook has matured into more of a point guard this season, but he’s still not close to Curry as far as understanding how to run an offense the way it’s supposed to be run.