The Oklahoma City Thunder have become the scariest team in the NBA - and Russell Westbrook is at the center of it
When Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant got hurt in November and the team got off the a 3-12 start, many thought the Thunder would need the rest of the season to claw their way back into the playoff race in the loaded Western Conference.
Instead, they've erased that deficit with 25 games to play. They have a two-game lead for the 8th seed, and only trail the Spurs by two games for the 7th seed.
Much of their hot streak has to do with Westbrook, who's putting up unreal numbers in February. For the month, he's averaging a near triple-double with 29.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 10.1 assists per game while shooting an efficient 48% from the field, 38% from three.
The Thunder's last three wins have come with Kevin Durant sidelined, putting the burden of carrying the team on Westbrook.
Westbrook puts constant pressure on the defense. During this hot streak, he has continued to attack the basket, particularly in transition where his speed and strength make him nearly impossible to stop:
More impressive has been his playmaking in February, where the defensive attention he commands has let him set up teammates for easy baskets:
ESPN's Royce Young says much of the Thunder's turnaround can be attributed to a change in leadership from Westbrook.
The Thunder won the trade deadline last week with a flurry of moves that revamped their bench. According to Young, Westbrook has taken it upon himself to help his new teammates assimilate, and lessened his aggression toward teammates on the court.
Westbrook was once a hot-headed, moody point guard who would snap at teammates and rarely accept responsibility. He was as difficult to get along with off the floor as he often was to play with on it. Westbrook takes pride in the fact he plays angry, but now he seems to be channeling that in the right direction. Namely, at his opponent.
The only way the Thunder's recent trade deadline swap works as quickly as it has is with Westbrook taking charge to assimilate the new pieces himself. He's made it a point to look for Kanter as much as possible, constantly keeping the big man engaged. Without Durant, Westbrook has taken charge in huddles, encouraging teammates nonstop.
Westbrook's play and the Thunder's depth (even without Durant) makes them the scariest team in the NBA. They'll likely lock up a lower playoff seed, meaning one of the top four teams in the West is going to have to play them in the first round.
In the coming weeks, the Thunder could be fully healthy, with a new, deep bench and two MVP candidates in Durant and Westbrook. They're the team nobody will want to see in March and April and with good reason.