NBA Playoffs 2011: Why Westbrook Got Benched - Game 2 Mavericks vs. Thunder

Coach Nick draws a stark comparison between Eric Maynor and Russell Westbrook, and why they should start together.

[@syck40]

Nice vid, keep it coming. What are u going to do when the season is over? Any video plan during the summer?

[@bballbreakdown]

@damcmg85 I would love to find out exactly why I get a thumbs down - we don't get too many!

[@bballbreakdown]

@wac411 COme back and watch it now. If you're too quick on the trigger, it's not finished processing.

[@bballbreakdown]

@Tommmaaah Yes - not sure how quickly, but I'll make sure to hit the record button for this one.

[@bballbreakdown]

@animesolider I'm still not completely sold on Dallas - the adjustments necessary to contain Dirk seem easier than the adjustments needed to stop OKC

[@bballbreakdown]

@mxr2000 I don't think so. Even if he could run around, he has no timing or rhythm and the other guys wouldn't be used to playing with him after all that time off.

[@bballbreakdown]

@mepatrick But he won't be able to control the ball and THEN score from the SG position - you know what I mean? When he brings it up, calls a play, and then fires up a shot - that's when it's bad for OKC. If they swing it around to him, he gets a weakside screen - THEN he shoots a much better and open shot.

[@bballbreakdown]

@bbarrus82 Right... But I feel Rose could transition into a more traditional point guard in the future - I don't know if Westbrook could ever do that

[@bballbreakdown]

@syck40 Lots to do over summer! Exclusive interviews with coaches like Tex Winter, Dean Smith, Pete Carril, Pete Newell, and many more! Plus the ever popular RetroBreakdowns of old games from the history of basketball!

[@bballbreakdown]

@Wymetime While I criticize Westbrook for playing angrily and not in the moment, hence bad decisions, I don't necessarily blame him. You are who you are, and I truly believe he simply isn't a point guard. They should stop trying to force a square peg in a round hole, y'know??

[@bballbreakdown]

@pnyby28 Thanks! The music if my good friend Gabriel Mann - check him out at gabrielmann [dot] com

[@bballbreakdown]

@brodouglas Thanks!!

[@bballbreakdown]

@AnAProductions151 He would be the #2 shooting guard in the league!

[@bballbreakdown]

@Slamwoo93 I think it's more that he plays angry, you know?

[@bballbreakdown]

@Cordwinder I'm all for this - good idea. But it will never happen - Westbrook would never accept it.

[@bballbreakdown]

@chikenfriedricey and Dean Smith was the only person to hold Michael Jordan under 20! :)

[@dayofayanju9021]

I think Durant saw this when he ditched the Thunder- the way OKC played with Maynor is a lesser version of how the Warriors play

[@bballbreakdown]

@GaRmAn I know what that feels like!

[@itay6262]

I'm sure he will inprove his decision making in the future!

[@hitokiriheero]

great video!

[@bballbreakdown]

@JoeMyre Thanks so much. Stay tuned, we'll have breakdown why Rose has only had 2 points in the last 2 fourth quarters. Coach Nick

[@MultiScienceMan]

8.5 Assists? So if I pass the ball only 8 times and those 8 times I get an assist, does that mean i share the ball a lot? If those 8 assists came from all fastbreaks does that make me a good play maker? If I pass the ball solely for the stat and not the play making or that my team will get hot, does that make me a good play maker?

[@2tbreezy988]

Brognisiqam I love you.....

[@bballbreakdown]

@bozotheclown9 You never know!

[@Wymetime]

As for putting Westbrook at SG, I'm all for trying it... next season.

[@BlackenedThunder]

Sefolosha starts. That's how it should work, too, Harden's scoring off the bench is valuable. Sefolosha is a great defender, he should start games. Harden gets his minutes anyway.

[@bballbreakdown]

@game3525 Oh, don't scare me like that!

[@jadenchup2]

Basketball isn't just power and quickness. =) NICE MAYNOR!

[@CaptKirby18]

@JhonnyKing0001 yes, I was serious that it was bad quality and probably what was being commented on...what does being a flashback require terrible video quality for?

[@bballbreakdown]

@tee23en COming up!

[@bballbreakdown]

@Tommmaaah Yes! I believe there's a record button and it can be put into the queue so you can watch them on our website.

[@bballbreakdown]

@KFourTwenty What's pretentious? Let us know.

[@stygianmessiah]

maynor seems like starter calibre....his game seems very mature

[@kwoktony121]

As a Mavs fan, I was so worried when RW was on the bench... and my worry became reality

[@yuch1102]

that is some reasonable advice, but sefolosha is a pretty good defender, and if they play westbrook at the 2 and manor at the 1, they go pretty small in the backcourt.

[@KFourTwenty]

@bballbreakdown In addition, that wasn't a "textbook" fastbreak. Barea waited to long to get the ball to the middle of the floor. It worked in the end but "textbook"? Hardly.

[@elitaren]

Ur videos are amazing. I can sit for over a hour and look at them ! Cant wait for NBA season!

[@CaptKirby18]

@bballbreakdown the video quality is not only lower but has all this black noise flashing all over at around 1:15...might be what they were talking about (already fixed by 1:30)

[@wac411]

is it my computer or is the video quality lower then it usually is?

[@dddicf]

I think your'e right and i think this is what prooves that even if you manage to get 20 points 6 rebs and 8 assist like westbrook does, doesn't mean that you're a great point guard, don't get me wrong Westbrook is a really great player, but not fit to play point guard unless he sets his mind to the mood of the game, a good point guard makes plays with or whitout the assist, westbrook is too impatient (like me lol) he's really good but impatient but like u said if he played sg it take away stress

[@dimedropper1992]

Would you put this in the same case for Derrick Rose? im not hating but i would be curious on your toughts

[@bballbreakdown]

@sonidea Thanks! I enjoyed being able to contrast Maynor to Westbrook...

[@JhonnyKing0001]

@CaptKirby18 it´s not terrible video quality... it´s an effect to show the difference

[@wannabeserpento99]

rose is a pg, but he's also the only real scorer on the bulls team. so he has to hold the ball

[@mxr2000]

Hey Nobody knows if Dallas would use Caron Butler on this series?

[@bballbreakdown]

@damnumalone Thanks! You seen our Finals breakdowns? Game 2 will be up tomorrow!

[@Wymetime]

@thebostonceltics34 Westbrook doesn't need to be traded. Brooks just needs to tame the beast. And it can be done. It'll just take time, and time is something the Thunder have plenty of.

[@max420ful]

@ThePRBaller i agree a little bit because they won in LA but OKC home crowd is NASTY LOUD !!!!

[@bballbreakdown]

@jd55192 LOL!

[@Wymetime]

To all Westbrook haters. Let's not forget all that Westbrook is capable of when thinking he should be traded. Consider game 4 against the Grizzlies. Highest scorer on the Thunder and second highest amount of assists.(Harden had 7, he had 5) Or you can take into account game 7 where he had 14 assists opposed to Harden's close ranking second place of 3 assists. Yes, he has a lot to figure out, but give him the time. People should really consider all the facts before jumping to conclusions.

[@hahaha01357]

i like how westebrook gets taken out of the game during 4th and thunder wins the only game of the series so far...

[@Tai223235]

I think the Thunder need Westbrook to win this series, whether it be as a PG or a SG. Thunder are lucky they won this game. I'm sure the Mavs will adjust, and will be ready for that small lineup the Thunder used in the 4th quarter.

[@Cordwinder]

If Westbrook wants to be a scorer, why not make him one in the mold of Vinnie Johnson from the 1989,1990 Piston Championship team? If he can't run the team, I can't see him being part of plays and share the ball when all he wants to do is jack up shots. What about him in a second unit with solid defenders calling his own number, for short periods. Instant offense to wear down the opposing defense.

[@TR18NJ]

Is James Harden a starter? Or is Sefalosha still the starting SG?

[@game3525]

Westbrooks is slowing entering Mo William's level of decision making.

[@kmanthan]

I hear your points, but tell me, what defense/fan doesn't fear Westbrooks EXPLOSIVE one-on-one drives. There is a reason for this....Westbrook uses that move enough to sell it!

[@bballbreakdown]

@AbdullahAl18 Thanks! Stay tuned - a Game 3 OKC DAL breakdown coming up this afternoon!

[@cooliocolio441]

hey coach i watched ur lives stream the other night and thought it was great!! cant wait for sunday's!

[@alex268078243]

it was a playoff game that either lakers or thunders could've taken because of these mistakes, it costed them the finals why can't he criticize westbrook when you could've got the finals ???

[@AnAProductions151]

@bballbreakdown Nope You Forgot about Wade and B.Roy

[@SoftBosh]

@bballbreakdown as a coach, what's your opinion on kendrick perkins calling a timeout by himself in game 3? LOL

[@JhonnyKing0001]

@CaptKirby18 are you serious or was that just a joke? it´s a flashback, that´s why it looked like that

[@Devinwilson5]

they probably would've made it to the finals if this happened

[@bballbreakdown]

@kabalcage I agree that you shouldn't change your team that radically this late in the season. However, they should at least try during the course of the game to play Maynor w/ Westbrook at least one rotation. They haven't done it all year and it amazes me..

[@Nxsmo]

@AdrianAquino22 Agreed

[@AnAProductions151]

Idk why people think hes the best PG in the league.. SMH

[@dbsccgusa6007]

This video aged like nice Cabernet

[@beatcavs09]

Did you get an offer from the Lakers yet?

[@tango400016]

Amazing reply coach Nick. I look forward to you coaching an NBA team

[@alexanderfarah]

@iTzxZizzle i dont know, coz he seems to uncontrolled, i know hes an all star etc but he seems better at the 2 coz he wont be handling the ball and doing the decision making, as he may force up a shot, hes really more of a scorer than a play maker, hes more like AI in a sense

[@bballbreakdown]

@SquishyCandyftw Epic for sure! Did you participate in our live chat? It was great tonight!

[@MiopTop]

you said harden can't pass the ball to harden @ 1:35 :o

[@KFourTwenty]

@bballbreakdown Also your first point contrasting how they run the offense is another example. You are applying greater importance to what Maynor did to run the offense than is true. Yes he dribbled the ball to the left side of the court but Harden's the one that delt with Terry better. If Harden would have cut more to the top instead of toward Westbrook. Westbrook would have been able to pass him the ball. This was mostly Harden's cut not Westbrook's "torpedoing of the offense."

[@iTzxZizzle]

How is it that everyone thinks that Menor, Manor or whatever his name is is a better leader for this team over Westbrook because of 1 video lol ? Yes he has times of being unpatient, who doesn't ? And really the team belongs to KD so if you give him the ball you will win as a franshise lol let's not forget Westbrook is an all star and makes the team a dynamic one by adding his quickness that the backup can't do . All star > Backup . Just saying

[@bballbreakdown]

@SquishyCandyftw Stay tuned - a quickie on OKC DAL today and Bulls Heat tmrw!

[@stygianmessiah]

@KFourTwenty decision making is something every star pg should have.his isnt the best and wads wrong with being a SG?its more suitable to his skill set....

[@MRPENNNIS]

Hmmm...i fear that if Westbrook starts alongside Maynor, he would have yet another temper tantrum if he didn't get the ball. I would really bench him for the rest of the playoffs and then trade him in the off-season. I just want to know what happened to him? I mean the guy was one of the top 3 PG's in the NBA for most of the season and then BAM! It's as if something turned on his selfish button. very frustrating to watch!

[@bballbreakdown]

@m4tttc He is! I've been saying this since he splashed on the scene in last year's playoffs. You seen our Finals breakdowns? Check 'em out - great stuff! Coach Nick

[@chikenfriedricey]

Westbrook is the only player who can hold Kevin Durant under 30 points

[@bozotheclown9]

scott brooks watches bball breakdown haha

[@1Vurgas1]

are you in?

[@KFourTwenty]

@bballbreakdown In your second example, you are once again implying greater significance to Maynor's contribution than is necessarily true. In Maynor's part, the Thunder are better spaced and instead of Perkin's setting the screen, it's Durant. The defense is going to honor Durant over Perkins. So it was easier for Maynor to get to the hoop when the help went back to Durant. It was more circumstance than Westbrook's fault. He could of set up a play sure but these aren't fair comparisons.

[@alexanderfarah]

@iTzxZizzle dude the point is westbrook needs to keep himself controlled and not take so many shots, heck i reckon hes like AI, he should play SG more as its better for him

[@KFourTwenty]

@bballbreakdown Well you can't make claims about what Westbrook would have done late in the game. There were plenty of instances in the regular season where he would bring the ball back out in late game situations when the Thunder needed to waste clock. Westbrook's not the smartest basketball player but that comes with time/experience. I say we keep him at the point. Maynor is a perfect backup. Start Maynor and then who comes off the bench to run the team? Harden is best left at SG off the pine

[@kabalcage]

No no no no..... You have it all wrong about Westbrook and Maynor starting together. Keep in mind, this team has been playing Westbrook at PG for 3 years; you can't change the status quo in the Conference Finals! What Brooks did (i.e. benching Russell) was the correct decision. With Westbrook, you take the good with the bad and you need to know when to pull the plug on Mr. Hyde. Having Maynor with Westbrook is a problem because Maynor would turn into just another jump shooter.

[@CaptKirby18]

@JhonnyKing0001 and the effect is...terrible video quality

[@bballbreakdown]

@chipsa86 Like I've been saying - play Maynor and Westbrook together, at least for a couple of stretches. Play Harden and Westbrook together and let Harden bring it up - even though that's not where Harden is good at distributing - he's much better slashing and passing... Play Collison and Ibaka together a lot more!

[@KFourTwenty]

@bballbreakdown But I have faith that he'll learn all of this. He's made tremendous strides so far. Here's to him keeping it up. Overall this was a good analysis. Just a tad pretentious.

[@bballbreakdown]

@MiopTop D'OH! Meant Maynor! Good catch...

[@CustomFitted]

this video did a good job of showing how valuable a point guard eric maynor can be.

[@alex268078243]

fine, just thunder and yes, he can criticize westbrook however much he wants if westbrook became whatever this coach said on the video, THUNDERS MIGHT'VE GOTTEN INTO THE FINALS

[@CNENYC1]

criticize westbrook all u want, and yes his decision making is questionable at times, but he has improved in that area this yr, check the turnovers this yr in the playoffs.. he has a killer mentality, and ppl forget that he had to make a tough transition going from playing the 2 in college to point in the nba.. they wouldnt have made it to the finals w/o westbrooks play in the reg season and playoffs... kd said it himself he doesnt want to play w any other pg... KD and westbrook r the future

[@jason615lakers]

Lol

[@bballbreakdown]

@DaBossMan32 Well, I like having Ibaka and Collison out there together. So you can go Harden, Durant, and Westbrook with them. Or you can do Maynor, Westbrook, Harden,Durant, Ibaka/Collison. Hell, have Harden play the PF and let Durant play shooting guard!

[@KFourTwenty]

@bballbreakdown you make a lot of great points about Westbrook but he's going to learn. It still irks me that you made claims about what Westbrook would have done. Hypothetical situations do not make for good analysis. He was an All-NBA Second Team point guard. He has all the physical tools necessary to be a great point. The IQ will come with time. The dude is 22, playing the toughest position in the NBA for the 3rd time in his life. He'll get there. He needs to calm down. Work on body language.

[@GaRmAn]

most of Westbrook's play can make Brooks lose his hair quick.

[@spatesel]

James Soften choked in the NBA finals

[@bballbreakdown]

@retrotw That'd be okay as long as he didn't bring the ball up first!

[@bballbreakdown]

@smiley4284 This is what I've been saying all playoff long. They started experimenting w/ it and I wouldn't be surprised to see more of it next year. Check out our NBA Finals breakdowns - a great conversation going on over there right now!

[@gogetafive]

He only played a 2 1 year

[@lmaostrnoob]

You guys are brilliant. I never noticed, or ever attempted to analyze all this, but now when I think of it. Maynor is a somewhat better playmaker than Westbrook AT TIMES.

[@bballbreakdown]

@retrotw I'm sure you feel even more this way after Game 4! Kidd was great, Westbrook... not so much.