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Russell Westbrook Is The Antithesis Of Everything The Rockets Believe In

Russell Westbrook
#OneMission Russell Westbrook is the antithesis of everything the Rockets believe in (Bill Baptist/Getty Images)

We’re 9 games into the NBA season and the red flags in Houston are already becoming alarming. The Russell Westbrook and James duo will not work. It was a move that reeked of desperation from the jump. While the Rockets are a respectable 6-3, the underlying truth is that Russell Westbrook goes against everything the Houston Rockets believe. The Rockets are the poor person that votes Republican. The Rockets went all in on something that goes against everything they believe in. Russell Westbrook is the antithesis of what Houston represents.

Daryl Morey drives an analytical bus in Houston. Well, I should say is supposed to. Morey went to MIT. He’s a numbers guy at heart. The Rockets don’t believe in the mid-range jumper. They want shots in the paint or shots beyond the 3-line. Nothing in between. Small ball snipers who can hit shots is what the Rockets believe in. Clint Capela can be their center because he cleans up around the glass. That’s Houston.

Mike D’Antoni has been the Rockets head coach for 3 years. Houston has ranked in the top 3 in effective field goal percentage in each of those seasons. They pride themselves on smart shot selection. In each of those seasons, Houston has recorded an effective field goal percentage of 54 percent. They also lead the NBA in 3-point attempts almost every year. The Rockets take a lot of 3’s. They make a lot of 3’s. That’s Houston.

Daryl Morey sold his soul to the devil for a player that goes against everything he believes in. Daryl Morey sold his sold to the devil for a player that contradicts everything Houston represents. The Rockets persona is smart shot selection and efficiency. Russell Westbrook represents high usage, dumb shot selection, and poor efficiency.

Russell Westbrook
(ESPN Kirk Goldsberry Graphic)

Efficiency is a strong belief system in Houston. Russell Westbrook is taking a literal shit on that belief system. Westbrook is one of the worst shooters in the history of basketball. He is THE WORST volume 3-point shooter out there. So far this season, Per Second Spectrum tracking, there have been 56 players to attempt at least 65 shots outside of the paint this season. Westbrook ranks DEAD LAST in effective field goal percentage (eFG%) at 31.1%. Yikes! It doesn’t help that he’s jacking up 17.5 shots per game. This is whole Westbrook is. It’s been who is he for a decade. Shoot, miss, shoot, miss, shoot, miss, keep shooting.

The Rockets don’t believe in the mid-range jumper. Westbrook loves them despite the fact that he doesn’t make any of them. Russ has shot more non-paint 2’s than the rest of the roster combined. Remember that effective field goal percentage I talked about? Last season the Knicks ranked last with at 49 percent. Keep in mind they were a team actively trying to lose. Westbrook logged an effective field goal percentage of 46.8 a year ago. His career average mark is 46.5 percent.

Sure, it’s a 9 game sample size. It doesn’t matter. This is who Russell Westbrook is and has always been. It goes against everything Houston believes in. It would be like trying to date a girl who is anti-guns while the guy owns a gun shop. It makes no sense. Never has.

Chemistry matters in basketball. So far the numbers are staggering. Chris Paul was better built for Houston. The Rockets have been awful every single time Westbrook has taken the court. Some people scoff at +/- numbers. Sometimes they can be a bit of a mirage. You can’t deny these. They’re too jarring.

  • 2019-20 net rating with Westbrook on the court: -1.1.
  • 2019-20 net rating with Westbrook off the court: +7.8.
  • 2018-19 net rating with Paul on the court: +8.3.
  • 2018-19 net rating with Paul off the court: +2.5.

Want to hear something even crazier. You would think that when James Harden sits, Westbrook would get a chance to run the show. You would think Westbrook could take control of the offense and really impact the game. In the 87 minutes that Harden sits and Westbrook has plays, the Rockets have a net rating of minus-18.8. YUCK. I would also like to point out that Chris Paul played defense. Russell Westbrook does not. The Rockets defense has fallen off a cliff.

You only get so far when you sell your soul to the devil. The Rockets are headed down the toilet. We’re 9 games in and the Westbrook Rockets are already showing serious red flags. What happens when we get to playoff time? Playoff time where I have 3 consecutive years of data that shows Westbrook stinks.

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