For former NBA player-turned-analyst Kendrick Perkins claims Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook is looking like Shaquille O’Neal in the way he dominates the paint.

According to Perkins, he changed Westbrook's name to Russell Westbrook O'Neal because of the way he's punishing opponents in the paint. He acknowledged Giannis Antetokounmpo's supreme abilities, but he was more impressed with Westbrook given his small stature.

Perkins' comments came in after Westbrook's 41-point explosion in their, 111-110, overtime victory over the Boston Celtics. The former league MVP shot an efficient 16-of-27 from the field, snagged eight rebounds, dished out five assists, and had three steals.

What made this feat possible is the trade that sent Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks. While it was tagged as one of the worst trades at the deadline, the last laugh belongs to the Rockets.

Mike D'Antoni and crew shared that they had to make the trade to open up the floor for Westbrook's tenacious drives to the hoop. Over the last several games, this game plan has worked wonders.

Since trading Capela away, Westbrook has only shot below 50 percent from the field once. This was their most recent, 125-123, loss to the New York Knicks. But in the other games, Westbrook shoots somewhere between 50 to 60 percent — a spectacular feat for a guard.

Westbrook's individual statistics have translated into wins for the Rockets. Over the last 10 games, they've won seven and now sport a 39-21 record. With 22 games remaining on their schedule, they have a chance to climb up to the second seed. That's not bad given how at the beginning of the season, analysts predicted a horrendous year for the team.