Despite a much-upgraded roster over this offseason, the Golden State Warriors are not afraid of the Oklahoma City Thunder and MVP Russell Westbrook just yet, having proven to be his absolute kryptonite over the last few seasons.
According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, the Warriors “don't fear” Westbrook because his “style of play is so easy to defend; it's like cake to them” — a notion that is also confirmed in sportswriter/novelist Jack McCallum's book Golden Days.
McCallum's book also noted how Westbrook was “partly” the reason Kevin Durant chose to leave OKC for Golden State in the summer of 2016.
Westbrook got his numbers against the Warriors, 27.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game against them through four games last season, but it is how he got those numbers that have made the reigning champions not lose sleep over facing him.
The reigning MVP shot a dismal 37.5 percent from the field, and as a volume scorer also turned the ball over a whopping 32 times (eight turnovers per game) — that was music to the Warriors' ears.
Golden State is more than happy to concede 40 points to the Thunder point guard if it means he's taking 40 shots, forcing passes in desperation and taking three-pointers with the delusion that he'll catch fire — still a career 31 percent three-point shooter, making only 34.3 percent of his shots from beyond the arc last season while taking a whopping 7.2 attempts per game.
Paul George and Carmelo Anthony should provide a huge help in terms of firepower, but the Westbrook that was re-writing the pages in history books will have to be a thing of the past if he hopes to make a deep run in the playoffs.
George and Anthony often need the ball in their hands and won't be content becoming Westbrook's catch-and-shoot targets as Alex Abrines and Victor Oladipo often were last season. The chemistry between these three ball-dominant All-Stars will prove either the recipe to their success against the Western Conference titans or their ultimate demise.
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