The dissolution of the basketball ties that bound Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant for eight seasons in Oklahoma City was messy, emotional and fraught with narratives centered on the presumption that its aftermath resembled a zero-sum game: Westbrook can finally do what he wants, while Durant must integrate his skill set into the Golden State Warriors’ tried-and-true system, one largely predicated on ball movement and adaptability.
That thinking has proved half-correct.
Yes, Westbrook has been a gale force sweeping through basketball’s ecosystem. He's averaging a triple-double while tops in scoring. He's leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a perfect record. He's posting a usage rate that would make Wilt Chamberlain jealous.
It’s been everything Westbrook (and the Thunder) could hope for. And the longer that trend continues, the more the NBA stands to gain from that pulsating quasar wearing No. 0.
But Durant hasn’t sacrificed anything himself, at least not in the early goings. He’s top five in player efficiency rating. He ...
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Article written by Erik Malinowski