Prior to Game 5, Russell Westbrook hasn't been having a very good series against the Utah Jazz. Not just because the Oklahoma City Thunder are losing but statistically, his numbers simply are not up to par with the usual standards many expect from the triple-double king.
That said, the reigning MVP put up quite a performance on Game 5 that kept the Thunder's playoff hopes alive. Westbrook erupted for 45 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists, sinking in five long distance shots, and an immaculate 6-of-6 from the charity stripe, en route to a 3-2 series score.
So impressive was that stat line that he took away Michael Jordan's record honors as well (in the same vein Jazz rookie star Donovan Mitchell did last week) with a line that eclipsed the GOAT himself and sharing honors with another MJ heir apparent, Kobe Bryant.
Russell Westbrook and Kobe Bryant are the only guards in NBA history to produce at least 45 points and 15 rebounds in a playoff game. Bryant had 48 points and 16 rebounds on May 13, 2001.
— Justin Kubatko (@jkubatko) April 26, 2018
In the first four games, Westbrook is making only 29 out of his 79 attempts from the field — about 37 percent from the field and down considerably from his 44.9 percent clip in the regular season. Behind the arc, he is even worse, knocking down only three out of his 14 attempts for a 21.4 percent accuracy, also down from his (admittedly, bad enough) average of 30 percent.
Scoring-wise, his 21 points per game average appear to be within the area of his 25.4 points during the season, but that does include a woeful pair of 14 and 19 point games. Not surprisingly, both happened during losses.
The former UCLA standout's assists are surprisingly high, however, considering that most of his teammates (with the exception of Paul George who's been living up to the “Playoff P” moniker to the letter) have been rather disappointing. His turnovers are also on the high side, although that is already a given with the guard who once averaged more than five errors a game the year before.
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