Westbrook is averaging a triple double and not starting Allstar game

[Tbonewannabe]

Dude leads the league in scoring while averaging a triple double. Curry and Harden are starting over him is ridiculous.

[ckDOG]

Dude leads the league in scoring while averaging a triple double. Curry and Harden are starting over him is ridiculous.

Yeah it's turrable. Westbrook is fierce. Unbelievable competitor and athlete. He's just a small market superstar that doesn't get the recognition he deserves. Plus, he doesn't do himself any favors by being standoffish to the media so he gets no extra love outside of OKC

[camsu]

So who you going to drop. Curry or Harden both are having great years also. Both are becoming the face of NBA and Westbrook goes around calling KD a bitch. Sure Westbrook is having a great yr but he will be on the team and I think they choose the correct 2.

[msstate7]

So who you going to drop. Curry or Harden both are having great years also. Both are becoming the face of NBA and Westbrook goes around calling KD a bitch. Sure Westbrook is having a great yr but he will be on the team and I think they choose the correct 2.

Westbrook -- 30.6 ppg 10.6 rpg 10.4 apg
Curry -- 24.6 ppg 4.1 rpg 6.1 apg

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Well blame the fans that's who voted.

[camsu]

Numbers don't always mean everything. Curry takes over when he needs to and Westbrook is always carrying the load and not using his teammates. Its still a team game and Curry is still producing huge numbers while playing a team game which Westbrook is not doing. That said all 3 are great players but Curry is the best right now. See the Houston/GS game last night or OKC/GS game earlier this week. Factor in as I said Curry is the face of NBA right now he has to start

[msstate7]

Well blame the fans that's who voted.

It was you wasn't it? I'm down voting you**

[Tbonewannabe]

Numbers don't always mean everything. Curry takes over when he needs to and Westbrook is always carrying the load and not using his teammates. Its still a team game and Curry is still producing huge numbers while playing a team game which Westbrook is not doing. That said all 3 are great players but Curry is the best right now. See the Houston/GS game last night or OKC/GS game earlier this week. Factor in as I said Curry is the face of NBA right now he has to start

But even teams that have been carried by one player hasn't had the season Westbrook is having. The guy might end up with the best year of any player the last 25 or so years.

[DudyDawg]

But even teams that have been carried by one player hasn't had the season Westbrook is having. The guy might end up with the best year of any player the last 25 or so years.

Better than that. On pace to be first triple double year since 1962. Also, harden isn't far behind him in points and leads the league in assists. If he catches in points, we could see a guy average a triple double and a guy do the Tiny Archibald and lead scoring and assists. Some serious history and that would make for a really compelling MVP vote.

[DudyDawg]

Numbers don't always mean everything. Curry takes over when he needs to and Westbrook is always carrying the load and not using his teammates. Its still a team game and Curry is still producing huge numbers while playing a team game which Westbrook is not doing. That said all 3 are great players but Curry is the best right now. See the Houston/GS game last night or OKC/GS game earlier this week. Factor in as I said Curry is the face of NBA right now he has to start

Curry isn't as good as either. He's on a better team, and got the luxury of playing both this week while they were missing key pieces. I'd say harden 1 (record as tie breaker over russ), russ 2, curry 3.

ETA- I would argue Durant is better than curry as well, and lebron is still the best player in basketball. But that obviously doesn't matter as far as all star voting goes. Just my general opinion.

[tireddawg]

Numbers don't always mean everything. Curry takes over when he needs to and Westbrook is always carrying the load and not using his teammates. Its still a team game and Curry is still producing huge numbers while playing a team game which Westbrook is not doing. That said all 3 are great players but Curry is the best right now. See the Houston/GS game last night or OKC/GS game earlier this week. Factor in as I said Curry is the face of NBA right now he has to start

Are you saying Westbrook doesn't involve his teammates? He averages over 10 assist per game.

[camsu]

Durant might be the best player on the Warriors but without Green the team would be hurting. Actually, think Hardin is best PG this year in the West. Move Hardin to 3 and start Curry and Westbrook and I am fine with that. Of course, the GS Center has no business on the team but as IYOK said fans voted and GS packs them in every night. Over 20k on the waiting list for tickets and the new Center they are building will hold less so they can jack the tickets up even more. Sacramento jacked the GS tickets up because so many from the Bay Area are driving up for the game just to see them. That's why Curry will always be a starter.

[smootness]

Westbrook is undoubtedly a great player having a phenomenal year. But Curry is better.

And this year is only 50% fan voting. Blame players as well.

[DudyDawg]

Westbrook is undoubtedly a great player having a phenomenal year. But Curry is better.

And this year is only 50% fan voting. Blame players as well.

Completely disagree about curry v Westbrook.

Players vote was just as ridiculous as fans. A lot of guys who haven't played this year got votes

[BeardoMSU]

Westbrook is undoubtedly a great player having a phenomenal year. But Curry is better.

Yeah, you're wrong on this, Smoot. Curry is a better pure shooter, but overall player, that most definitely goes to Westbrook.

[Tbonewannabe]

I think Westbrook is the best player in the NBA right now ahead of Harden and LeBron.

[BeardoMSU]

I think Westbrook is the best player in the NBA right now ahead of Harden and LeBron.

Lebron is still the best (and most important to his team), but Russ definitely deserves mention with those three.

[smootness]

Curry is phenomenal at most aspects of the game. The knocks on him just being a shooter are about 5 years late.

[BeardoMSU]

Curry is phenomenal at most aspects of the game. The knocks on him just being a shooter are about 5 years late.

His D leaves much to be desired...not the case for Russ, or Bron for that matter.

....that being said, the defense Hardin plays makes Curry's D look like '92 Bama, lol.

[DudyDawg]

His D leaves much to be desired...not the case for Russ, or Bron for that matter.

....that being said, the defense Hardin plays makes Curry's D look like '92 Bama, lol.

Harden is better than curry on D. Harden has more to carry offensively and isn't asked to put in the effort defensively night in and out bc he's got to carry the load scoring and creating. But late in games, that often changes (not that he turns into Gary Peyton or anything). Late in games, like Cleveland on Christmas, curry is on the bench defensively or the opponent tries to switch him onto the ball to take advantage of him.

Westbrook is similar to harden in that he doesn't defend 48 minutes but has the ability. Lebron is on a different planet on both ends than anyone when he turns it on. Like Jordan, you could make the case for him to win MVP year in and out.

[smootness]

His D leaves much to be desired...not the case for Russ, or Bron for that matter.

....that being said, the defense Hardin plays makes Curry's D look like '92 Bama, lol.

Career Defensive Rating: Curry - 106; Westbrook - 105 | This year: Curry - 105; Westbrook - 104

Defensive Win Shares (3 years prior to this one): Curry - 16.2; Westbrook - 9.5, though Westbrook has slightly more this year, 2.4 to 2.1.

Steal %: virtually identical, Curry slightly ahead so far this year.

[DudyDawg]

Career Defensive Rating: Curry - 106; Westbrook - 105 | This year: Curry - 105; Westbrook - 104

Defensive Win Shares (3 years prior to this one): Curry - 16.2; Westbrook - 9.5, though Westbrook has slightly more this year, 2.4 to 2.1.

Steal %: virtually identical, Curry slightly ahead so far this year.

A lot to do with scheme, help, lead margin etc. Curry sits some vital possessions, although he does have good hands.

[Maroons]

I think Westbrook is the best player in the NBA right now ahead of Harden and LeBron.

Do any of y'all really think Westbrook makes the players around him better? Serious question.

Compare Westbrook's effect on his team to that of Curry and Lebron, and it's easy to see why he hasn't won (and I don't think will) a championship.

[DudyDawg]

Do any of y'all really think Westbrook makes the players around him better? Serious question.

Compare Westbrook's effect on his team to that of Curry and Lebron, and it's easy to see why he hasn't won (and I don't think will) a championship.

Uhhhh. Hell yes. He averages plus 10 assists and has one of the weakest rosters in the league in a playoff spot. Without him that team is a lottery team.

[Maroons]

Uhhhh. Hell yes. He averages plus 10 assists and has one of the weakest rosters in the league in a playoff spot. Without him that team is a lottery team.

Harden and Durant couldn't win with him.

[DudyDawg]

Harden and Durant couldn't win with him.

Durant went to a finals with him and was 1 win from doing it again last year. I'd say that's winning.

[Maroons]

Durant went to a finals with him and was 1 win from doing it again last year. I'd say that's winning.

Are Durant and Harden better players after leaving Westbrook? The answer is yes.

[DudyDawg]

Are Durant and Harden better players after leaving Westbrook? The answer is yes.

That's not because Westbrook isn't good. They are three ball centric scorers. They (especially harden and Westbrook) need the ball to create and score and slash. Show me a team that's won rings with three ball first scorers. It wasn't a great fit with all three. With just Westbrook and Durant, they had 3 chances to be playing for a title last year and Durant disappeared late in those games as he has a tendency to do. If they'd have won 1 of those we'd be singing a different tune.

I understand why people may not like russ, but he's clearly a top 5 (imo top 3) player. He's having the best season of anyone since 1962. That said, I think harden should win MVP, especially if he catches russ in scoring. I'm a rockets fan; so I'm biased, but I think the record is the tie breaker. But russ has one of the year worst 7-8 rosters in the league in the playoffs.