The Russell Westbrook Paradox

ESPN Daily

ESPN

Sports

4.6 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 5 May 2021

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

There is no one in the NBA like Russell Westbrook. The former league MVP routinely puts up eye-popping stat lines and is now just four triple-doubles away from breaking Oscar Robertson's all-time triple-double record. But what’s even more impressive about Westbrook is how he’s elevating the Washington Wizards, and shockingly making them look like a contender this May. But Westbrook is not without his critics, particularly among the analytics obsessed NBA-types who worship at the altar of “efficiency.” Today, Kirk Goldsberry joins the show to break down the paradox that is Russell Westbrook: Is he a uniquely talented player who puts up historic numbers? Or one whose weaknesses are seemingly at odds with success in the modern NBA? Can he be both? Then, Pablo shares an update on the Indian Premier League’s suspension amidst growing COVID cases in India. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey Scott, before tonight, no one had ever had 24 assists and 21 rebounds in a game in the NBA history.
0:08.0	What can you say about the way Russell Westbrook played tonight?
0:12.0	I used to always say he's going to probably go down as the third best point guard ever,
0:19.0	but I think he's passed one and he's going to go down
0:22.3	as probably the second best. One is obviously magic. There's nobody in the history of the game
0:29.9	that can do what he does throughout the stat sheet. We should all have a friend like Scott Brooks, the head coach of the surging wizards,
0:40.4	a friend who's willing to gas us up, like he gasses up Russell Westbrook.
0:46.4	Washington's superstar point guard is now just four triple doubles away from breaking
0:51.7	Oscar Robertson's career record of 181, with a shocking playoff
0:57.9	birth now on the horizon. But to truly quantify Westbrook's greatness is to court controversy,
1:05.6	because there may not be a better player whose weaknesses are more obvious in the modern NBA.
1:13.6	So today, we aim to resolve the Russell Westbrook paradox, a problem that might say as
1:22.3	much about us as it does him.
1:25.8	I'm Pablo Torre.
1:27.5	It's Wednesday, May 5th.
1:29.8	This is ESPN.
1:35.8	Kirk Goldsbury, it is good to have you back on the pod.
1:39.0	It's great to be here, Pablo.
1:40.1	How are you?
1:41.0	I'm doing all right.
1:42.0	I'm contemplating all of the accomplishments
1:44.0	that Russell Westbrook has had in his career.
	...

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