Home » Russell Westbrook Needs to Step up

Russell Westbrook Needs to Step up

Publish Date: April 23, 2019

Everyone needs to stop making excuses for Russell Westbrook. He has averaged a triple-double for three straight seasons. That is a feat maybe no one will ever accomplish again. Who knows, maybe he goes for four straight next season, then five straight, etc. But people are immortalizing him for doing this, rightfully so to an extent, without considering what he is not doing.

He is not doing everything necessary for the Thunder to succeed right now. The Portland Trail Blazers, the No. 3 seed in the west, are up 3-1 against the Thunder. How did this happen?

After a pretty good game 3 win at home, the Thunder looked ready to get back into the
series. Trailing 2-1 with another home game in its sights, Oklahoma City was sitting pretty. Especially the way Westbrook was taunting Damian Lillard, it looked like Westbrook and the Thunder were going to turn things around.

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook (Photo by sportscasting.com)

After a lot of his baskets in game 3, Westbrook gave the ‘babying’ taunt to Lillard, who was
guarding him. Social media had a hay day with the taunt, constantly tweeting and retweeting video of Westbrook doing the taunt toward Lillard.

But then game 4 happened, and Westbrook is the last person who should be doing any
taunting after the results. Portland did not just beat the Thunder at Oklahoma City, but beat the Thunder by 13 points (111-98).

The loss may not have been as bad if Westbrook at least played well. But he only scored 14 points. Not only that, but he shot 5-21 overall for the game.

That is a pretty bad look when his matchup, Lillard, scored 24 points, having a second straight
game with a huge third quarter.

More and more the Thunder are starting to look like Paul George’s team. He has been clutch for them the entire season, not saying Westbrook has not been, but George has been consistently good. After all, George is the one in the MVP conversation.

George also had 32 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the game 4 loss. Bottom line is, George showed up, Westbrook did not.

And yet, people will still defend Westbrook tomorrow and throughout the entire offseason. If Portland wins game 5 at home, this will be the second straight season where the Thunder have been knocked out of the first round against teams they could have very well beaten (Jazz last year).

The Thunder have the depth and talent to make a decent run, but they have not. This is not completely Westbrook’s fault, but he did not back up his talk in a crucial game 3.

Again, at the end of the day, Westbrook is an amazing player. But if people will mock Lillard after last year’s Portland embarrassment, and not acknowledge what he is doing right now, why is no one criticizing Westbrook for two straight disappointing playoff endings.

He needs to be held to the same standard every other star is, which includes getting the fair
criticism he clearly deserves.

 

You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers!

Leave A Reply

* required
Read Also
2023 NFL Top 100 (100-1)
Now that the 2023 NFL Draft is over, the TGH staff have ...
NFL Head Coaching Candidates for the 2023 Season
Now that the NFL regular season has concluded the NFL's head coaching ...
Top-25 Offensive Free Agent Predictions for the 2022 NFL Offseason
It’s been a little over a month since the Los Angeles Rams ...
NFL Head Coaching Candidates for the 2022 Season
Now that the NFL regular season has concluded the NFL's head coaching ...
Mr. Irrelevant: The Isaiah Thomas Story
Isaiah Jamar Thomas was born on February 7, 1989 to James Thomas ...
The Game Haus aims to bring unbiased, factually sound opinions to audiences across a range of mediums that are not readily accessible in the day-to-day media outlets. We cover the latest news in Gaming, Call of Duty, CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, Fighting Games, NBA 2K, Halo, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Pokemon, Rocket League, Smite, Starcraft II, Fantasy Sports, MLS, EPL, MLB, NASCAR, NBA, NCAAB, NCAAF, NFL, NHL, and PGA.


Next to our unbiased coverage for esports and sports, have a look at our iGaming content. If you are looking for the most recommended Esports Betting Sites or Best Sports Betting Sites, look no further. We also cover the Best Sweepstakes Casinos in our free 2 play section and have a closer look at the Best DFS Sites out there. If you are looking for some real money options, check how we ranked the Best Online Casinos.


Follow us on Social Media for updates!
Sports: Facebook | Twitter
Esports: Facebook | Twitter

Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.

×
Your Promo Code:
The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link:
Play now