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\bLuas\fhhPWestbrook should contend for DPOY / 1st Team All Defense. He is #2 for guards in DEF FG% DIFF% and #4 G in DEF EPM. Westbrook is the best lockdown defender, and opposing shooters get Westbricked and shoot 6% worse. Westbrook's new role forces him to play D every second.
Media used to hate on Westbrook as a bad defender because they show clips of him not guarding 3 point shooters and not rotating on defense. Those are clips, and they do not give him credit for playing strong defense on Tatum, KD, Giannis, Booker and the best scorers throughout his career. Also, when he was on OKC, he did not play playoff Westbrook defense in the regular season. Just go watch what he did on defense to Chris Paul in 2014 and against Tony Parker / Manu in 2012 and 2016. In his new role on Clippers, Westbrook has to care about playing defense every second since that is his new role as the 4th option and comes off the bench. That's why it is showing up now on advanced stats.
I have never seen Steph Curry, Dame, Tatum, KD, Luka and other superstars force a switch onto Westbrook. They are scared of Westbrook.
This season it's starting to show-up on the defensive advanced stats in the regular season. Clippers will need to leverage his DPOY defense against Boston, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Dallas and other teams where there are volume scorers. Here are the advanced stats from NBA.com ttps://NBA.com and Dunks and Threes:
NBA.com ttps://www.nba.com/stats/players/defense-dash-overall?PlayerPosition=G&Height=LT+6-7 \- Guards with players under 6'7". Come on, players above 6'7" shouldn't be here as guards.
|Player|DFGA|DIFF%|
|:-|:-|:-|
|KCP|9.8|\-6.1%|
|Westbrook|7.6|\-5.6%|
|Strus|14.9|\-4.6%|
|Cason Wallace|9.0|\-4.2%|
|Nickeil (NAW)|10.4|\-4.1%|
So some may comment that Strus is not a good defender to make this stat irrelevant. But I bring up another advanced stat:
Defense EPM from Dunks and 3s for PGs https://dunksandthrees.com/epm
​
|Player|DEF EPM|
|:-|:-|
|Marcus Smart|\+2.9|
|Chris Paul|\+1.7|
|Anthony Black|\+1.6|
|Russell Westbrook|\+1.4|
For both advanced stats, he is showing up in the top 5, and he should be considered for DPOY and 1st team all defense.
Here are some of the "clips" where he is guarding the best players in the league this season:
Nov 10th - Westbrook was on Kyrie and he went 1/2. https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300014&OppPlayerID=202681&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=gameThe irst shot was just a hard double by Westbrook onto Luka, where no one rotated to Irving. Good contest on the second shot. Luka got scared and turned it over when Westbrook came to help. https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_TOV&GameID=0022300014&OppPlayerID=1629029&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game
Nov 26th - Luka and Kyrie go 4/7 vs. Westbrook with 1 turnover. 2 of Luka's makes was still good defense where Westbrook led Luka to Theis and then tried taking a charge.
1. Defense vs. Luka https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300244&OppPlayerID=1629029&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game - notably Westbrook has league leading 3 point defense where he can defend it without fouling
2. Kyrie gets locked up by Westbrook https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300244&OppPlayerID=202681&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=gam primary defender. His only make was when Westbrook played help defense. Forces Kyrie turnover without fouling too. https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_TOV&GameID=0022300244&OppPlayerID=202681&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game
Dec 20th - Mavs - Luka Doncic gets locked up by Westbrook.
1. Luka tries to use a pick to get by Westbrook and Westbrook sticks him to force a tough shot. https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300372&OppPlayerID=1629029&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game
2. Luka turns it over twice with Westbrook matched up https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_TOV&GameID=0022300372&OppPlayerID=1629029&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=gameka did not want to post up or drive against Westbrook. He didn't all game. Just intimated.
Dec 21 - SGA wanted the smoke against Westbrook. Goes 2/5 https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300379&OppPlayerID=1628983&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game ut really the 4th shot was on PG for not switching harder. 5th shot Westbrook played good help defense. What's notable is that Westbrook either defended SGA shots or led him into help defenders to miss shots.
Dec 23 - This was Lue's mistake to not play Westbrook more for just his defense. They lost by 37 lol. Brown and Tatum shoot 3/7 against Westbrook.
Defense vs. Brown https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300389&OppPlayerID=1627759&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game \- He defended without fouling. He blocked him but then Jaylen got the ball back to make it. On the missed dunk, Jaylen pushed off Westbrook.
Defense vs. Tatum https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300389&OppPlayerID=1628369&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game - Tatum historically has struggled vs. Westbrook. Look how Westbrook closes out Tatum's 3 point shots. He doesn't foul him. Yet Tatum, drew so many fouls from 3 this game from the Clippers that pretty much lost the game. Lue should've stuck Westbrook on Tatum all game.
I tried going through all the games recently where there was an all-star / MVP-level player, and I just looked at the matchup stats. There is no bias here and just results of Westbrook being in contention for DPOY.
#sport . e
Media used to hate on Westbrook as a bad defender because they show clips of him not guarding 3 point shooters and not rotating on defense. Those are clips, and they do not give him credit for playing strong defense on Tatum, KD, Giannis, Booker and the best scorers throughout his career. Also, when he was on OKC, he did not play playoff Westbrook defense in the regular season. Just go watch what he did on defense to Chris Paul in 2014 and against Tony Parker / Manu in 2012 and 2016. In his new role on Clippers, Westbrook has to care about playing defense every second since that is his new role as the 4th option and comes off the bench. That's why it is showing up now on advanced stats.
I have never seen Steph Curry, Dame, Tatum, KD, Luka and other superstars force a switch onto Westbrook. They are scared of Westbrook.
This season it's starting to show-up on the defensive advanced stats in the regular season. Clippers will need to leverage his DPOY defense against Boston, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Dallas and other teams where there are volume scorers. Here are the advanced stats from NBA.com ttps://NBA.com and Dunks and Threes:
NBA.com ttps://www.nba.com/stats/players/defense-dash-overall?PlayerPosition=G&Height=LT+6-7 \- Guards with players under 6'7". Come on, players above 6'7" shouldn't be here as guards.
|Player|DFGA|DIFF%|
|:-|:-|:-|
|KCP|9.8|\-6.1%|
|Westbrook|7.6|\-5.6%|
|Strus|14.9|\-4.6%|
|Cason Wallace|9.0|\-4.2%|
|Nickeil (NAW)|10.4|\-4.1%|
So some may comment that Strus is not a good defender to make this stat irrelevant. But I bring up another advanced stat:
Defense EPM from Dunks and 3s for PGs https://dunksandthrees.com/epm
​
|Player|DEF EPM|
|:-|:-|
|Marcus Smart|\+2.9|
|Chris Paul|\+1.7|
|Anthony Black|\+1.6|
|Russell Westbrook|\+1.4|
For both advanced stats, he is showing up in the top 5, and he should be considered for DPOY and 1st team all defense.
Here are some of the "clips" where he is guarding the best players in the league this season:
Nov 10th - Westbrook was on Kyrie and he went 1/2. https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300014&OppPlayerID=202681&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=gameThe irst shot was just a hard double by Westbrook onto Luka, where no one rotated to Irving. Good contest on the second shot. Luka got scared and turned it over when Westbrook came to help. https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_TOV&GameID=0022300014&OppPlayerID=1629029&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game
Nov 26th - Luka and Kyrie go 4/7 vs. Westbrook with 1 turnover. 2 of Luka's makes was still good defense where Westbrook led Luka to Theis and then tried taking a charge.
1. Defense vs. Luka https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300244&OppPlayerID=1629029&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game - notably Westbrook has league leading 3 point defense where he can defend it without fouling
2. Kyrie gets locked up by Westbrook https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300244&OppPlayerID=202681&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=gam primary defender. His only make was when Westbrook played help defense. Forces Kyrie turnover without fouling too. https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_TOV&GameID=0022300244&OppPlayerID=202681&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game
Dec 20th - Mavs - Luka Doncic gets locked up by Westbrook.
1. Luka tries to use a pick to get by Westbrook and Westbrook sticks him to force a tough shot. https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300372&OppPlayerID=1629029&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game
2. Luka turns it over twice with Westbrook matched up https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_TOV&GameID=0022300372&OppPlayerID=1629029&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=gameka did not want to post up or drive against Westbrook. He didn't all game. Just intimated.
Dec 21 - SGA wanted the smoke against Westbrook. Goes 2/5 https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300379&OppPlayerID=1628983&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game ut really the 4th shot was on PG for not switching harder. 5th shot Westbrook played good help defense. What's notable is that Westbrook either defended SGA shots or led him into help defenders to miss shots.
Dec 23 - This was Lue's mistake to not play Westbrook more for just his defense. They lost by 37 lol. Brown and Tatum shoot 3/7 against Westbrook.
Defense vs. Brown https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300389&OppPlayerID=1627759&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game \- He defended without fouling. He blocked him but then Jaylen got the ball back to make it. On the missed dunk, Jaylen pushed off Westbrook.
Defense vs. Tatum https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=DEF_FGA&GameID=0022300389&OppPlayerID=1628369&PlayerID=201566&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612746&flag=1&sct=plot§ion=game - Tatum historically has struggled vs. Westbrook. Look how Westbrook closes out Tatum's 3 point shots. He doesn't foul him. Yet Tatum, drew so many fouls from 3 this game from the Clippers that pretty much lost the game. Lue should've stuck Westbrook on Tatum all game.
I tried going through all the games recently where there was an all-star / MVP-level player, and I just looked at the matchup stats. There is no bias here and just results of Westbrook being in contention for DPOY.
#sport . e
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