The Oklahoma City Thunder guard has carried his team on his shoulders during a record-breaking season. But is such excellence sustainable?
Russell Westbrook doesn’t breathe; he takes air hostage. While such lines have been in the past reserved for Hunter Pence signs or Chuck Norris jokes, Westbrook has displayed such sangfroid for Oklahoma City Thunder that he has become a serious contender for the NBA’s MVP award. He might also have become the most interesting man in basketball.
Perhaps more appropriately, Westbrook takes the ball hostage, playing the game with the heat of a thousand suns. This fury has driven him to break the NBA record for triple-doubles in a season. But in the NBA, over-exertion of stars has become a significant concern. Like other high-energy players – Derrick Rose of the Knicks or Dennis Schroder of the Hawks – Westbrook never seems to coast, playing exclusively at full speed, at least on offense.
Related: Russell Westbrook has played one of the NBA's all-time great seasons
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