I wrote not long ago that Marshawn Lynch is my favorite NFL player. Why? Because he’s all about that business. Lynch will now go down as the guy that should have been but was not handed the ball at the end of Super Bowl XLIX. But that’s a story for another time and the reason Pete Carroll will have many sleepless nights in his immediate future.
I also have a new favorite basketball player. His name is Russell Westbrook. Perhaps you’ve heard of him. All he’s done lately is tally four consecutive triple-doubles… with a hole in his face. That’s right. Not his nose, not his mouth, not his ears. A clearly visible dent in his face.
About a week ago or so, Westbrook was down on the floor as players who hustle are prone to do. He was about to get up when teammate Andre Roberson’s knee inadvertently ran into Westbrook’s cheek. You could see a part of Westbrook’s face caved in.
You know what Westbrook did? He kept playing.
Let me repeat that in case your ADD just got the best of you. Russell Westbrook was forcefully kneed in the face by a teammate, resulting in a golf ball-sized gap in the side of his head… and he kept playing. Not only that, he logged a triple double, scoring 40 points, 23 rebounds and 11 assists.
The night before that in Phoenix, he went for 39/14/11. Two nights before that against Indiana, he went for 20/11/10. And this Wednesday night against Philly, wearing a protective face mask for the first time, he went off for 49/16/10.
Again, just wheeled out of the damn hospital, Westbrook scored 49. Now I know it’s Philadelphia and the doctor who operated on him probably could have scored a dozen that night but 49 fresh out of the emergency room? Color me impressed!
Ironically, this triple-double string isn’t even my favorite Russell Westbrook moment.
That came back in early February on an ordinary evening against the Orlando Magic. Westbrook and company were headed to the bench where Jeremy Lamb and others waited to greet them for a job well done. Lamb was high-fiving players as they approached the bench then for some inexplicable reason failed to recognize Westbrook.
Westbrook stopped in his tracks and gave Lamb a stare that guaranteed he would never make that same mistake twice. I’m surprised Lamb wasn’t traded on the spot.
Yea, that’s Russell Westbrook, my new favorite player. He’s explosive, dynamic, determined and flat out frightening. Not to mention he just earned MVP honors in this year’s All-Star Game by dropping 41 points, a number behind only to Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan.
Ironically, Westbrook’s four consecutive triple-doubles are the most since Jordan had seven straight in 1988-89. Wilt holds the record for the most consecutive triple-doubles with nine in 1967-68. When you’re repeatedly being mentioned in the same breath as those two, you’re doing something drastically right, especially when you’ve got a damn whole in your face.
Nobody in their right mind expects Westbrook to continue this streak, not that it would surprise us. Either way, it’ll be fun as hell to watch… unless, of course, you’re having to cover him.
You and Kobe have something in common. Russell Westbrook.
KB recently said RW was the player that most reminded him of himself and said he loved how he played angry. Any fan of B-ball has to love what this kid is doing right now. KD goes diwn and Russ just completely goes ape shit on the league. Might be the most athletic player in the history of the league. Fucking guy is lightning quick and can jump out of the gym. How the hell is anyone supposed to guard him?
OKC shored up their bench with the deadline trades…Good moves…But if anyone got screwed worse than the Lakers by the CBA, it’s OKC.
Tje whole pount of this socialistic piece of shit is to force feed a level playing field on the league and make teams build through the draft instead of how the Lakers have done it for so many years. Well, OKC did just that but was forced to ship off Harden thanks to the cap/CBA.
Imagine where they might be right now if they kept The Beard?
Russ is a beast. No one is gonna wanna see OKC in the first round….Except us hoopheads that want to see this kid continue to blossom into a full fledged monster.
Westbrook has been by far the best player in the NBA over the past fifteen games and his stats bear this out that it is not even close . He might not end up with League MVP Award but , it would be a travesty, were he not in the top five of vote getters in the category .
I would really have liked to see what that OKC team would have done had Harden stayed with ’em, Bleed, but alas, in this world of young athletes trying to make a name for themselves, Harden wanted to go it on his own.
But, dude, how about that mean-mugging of Jeremy Lamb. How awesome was that!
Al…
He’ll be in the top five for sure. The question is who wins it.
I’m thinking Harden might get the nod. Or maybe Steph.
Should be interesting down the stretch. I don’t think this thing is wrapped up by any means.
Chris,
Completely agree. This guy R W might be the most gifted PG to ever play the game. Athletically, second to none. Speaking of Harden, he must also be in the top 5 for MVP consideration. Harden had to go(trade). The old slogan “not enough basketballs” applies.
That stink eye that Lamb got was classic. Funny that the same thing that you love about it is prettymuch the same kind of thing that got so many to hate Kobe.
…Personally, I love it. The leader of the team is supposed to hold the rest of the guys accountable. That was merely Rus letting Jeremy know not to fuck up like that again…Same exact thing that had Jeremy Lin playing like a girl before Kob went down. Now that he’s not there to scare the shit out of him, Lin is finally playing decent ball.
Sometimes intimidation works, sometimes not. It depends on how pussy the guy getting put in his place is. Let’s hope Lamb doesn’t start living up to his surname.
Harumph. Hockey players do this all the time.
Chris
It could be by far the most interesting NBA MVP the fans have seen in several years . Westbrook has been very impressive some of his game stats have been truly astonishing . He’s stepping up to the plate in the absence of Kevin Durant .
Tophatal …..
Bets…
I don’t want to go all crazy by saying by saying best ever status.
I am saying he is pretty fucking nasty.
Bleed…
How long do you see Russell and KD playing together?
For some reason, I just think they’ll eventually part ways, don’t you?
Dub…
Hockey players log triple doubles?
What’s that? In penalty minutes, melees started and teeth lost?
Well, right on!
Like I said, Al, I think this race will be decided in the final six weeks of the season.
AND DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!!!
Either of them are more than welocome to flee to the Lakers if that’s the case Chump.
Bleed…
You are the ultimate homer.
And proud of it, I’m sure.
Chris
Let me pose this question …. if you’re the head coach of the Eagles , would you have in all honesty , gotten rid of the following offensive players , LSean McCoy , Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson ? Bear in mind, the issues for the team was never their offense , but the fact , that for two straight years they couldn’t really stop anyone when it came to their defense . Let me know what you think concerning Stephen A’ Smith’s insinuations concerning the Eagles’ head coach Chip Kelly.
Tophatal …………