Houston Rockets fans are excited to see what newly acquired point guard Russell Westbrook can bring to the table. The 2017 NBA MVP is an upgrade over an aging 34-year-old Chris Paul, but pundits are skeptical of how the dynamic between Westbrook and James Harden can work at this point in their careers.
Former NBA head coach Earl Watson spoke on the Maybe I'm Crazy podcast with Joy Taylor and said that while many are questioning Westbrook's fit in the Rockets' offense, the biggest challenge will be motivating Westbrook to commit one hundred percent effort on the other side of the ball:
“Can you entice Russell Westbrook on the other end of the ball, because he's gonna be less offensively involved with the load. If Russ focuses to be one of the best defenders in the league, he will be First-Team All-Defense. Because he's an amazing off-the-ball defender … That's gonna be the biggest challenge.”
.@Earl_Watson explains how Westbrook helps Houston offensively 🏀
“He’s going to beat you to the paint. And that’s where you’re going to get dunks, lobs, free throws, corner threes. He doesn’t have to be a great 3-point shooter, he has to be a great corner 3-point shooter.” pic.twitter.com/tuAiVgYyl9
— Maybe I'm Crazy with Joy Taylor (@maybeimcrazypod) August 8, 2019
Russell Westbrook is certainly capable of being a top-notch defender given his athleticism and tenacity on the court. The problem with Westbrook is that he sometimes takes possessions off on defense.
Exerting most of his effort on offense sometimes diminishes his energy on the other side of the ball. However, as Watson said, with his lighter offensive load this upcoming season with Houston, perhaps Westbrook can focus more on his defense.
Westbrook actually entered the league as a premier perimeter defender. He was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in his sophomore season in UCLA. If Russell Westbrook can once again channel the same defense-first mindset next season as he did in college, the Rockets should become a serious threat.
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