In the clutch
Examining Westbrook’s late-game decision making
How does Russell Westbrook stack up against some of the NBA’s other stars taking “clutch”
time shots?
Russell Westbrook waited for Alex Abrines to set the screen at the top of the 3-point line. The Rockets made a defensive switch. James Harden was now guarding Westbrook.
All the Thunder needed was a go-ahead basket, the game tied 116-116. With seven seconds left — four on the shot clock — Westbrook pulled up for a right-angle 3-pointer that missed long.
Seconds later, Harden was whipping a pass over his shoulder to a 34-year-old backup center who would hit the game-clinching free throws.
While Westbrook is posting almost nightly triple-doubles and is one of the favorites for the Most Valuable Player Award, a glaring hole has emerged, one which predates his current historic season: His crunch time performance.
It presented itself again Thursday in Houston.
But with Kevin Durant in Golden State, the responsibility of late-game shot taker for the Thunder has shifted almost solely to Westbrook. He leads the league with 114 clutch shot attempts. Victor Oladipo is second on the Thunder with 21. Only one other Thunder player is in double digits, Steven Adams with 13. Stats.nba.com defines “clutch” time as when a team either leads or trails by five points or fewer with five minutes remaining in the game.
As of Friday, only Memphis’ Marc Gasol has played more clutch minutes (101) than Westbrook (96), who leads the league in points in those situations with 138. His 114 attempts are 54 more than the next closest player, Charlotte’s Kemba Walker.
Considering the shot volume and minutes, Westbrook ranks a respectable 31st in the NBA field goal percentage at 39.5. He’s ahead of All-Stars such as Kyrie Irving (38.5), Damian Lillard (37.7) and Durant (31.8), but behind LeBron James (58.3), Paul George (56.3) and Stephen Curry (50.0).
Where Westbrook has faltered is deep into clutch time. The Thunder is 4-30 in Westbrook’s career when he attempts a shot in the last 10 seconds with the game tied or within three points.
Like Thursday’s game, the misses often come from 3-point range, so frequently that fans and media have begun predicting Westbrook’s final heave before he leaves the huddle. That’s because nearly 60 percent (58.3 to be exact) of Westbrook’s shots inside the final 10 seconds of games in which the Thunder is tied, leads or trails by three points or less have been 3-pointers.
Westbrook is a career 30.5 percent 3-point shooter.
Thursday’s late misfire dropped Westbrook to 5-for-35 for his career on 3-pointers inside the final 10 seconds of games that are tied or stand at three points or less. Eight of those shots have come this season.
Some have been muchneeded: Westbrook hit 3-pointers against Indiana and Washington to force overtime, each with less than 10 seconds left.
Some have been questionable in two-point games: Trailing 110108 against the Clippers on Nov. 11, Westbrook slowly dribbled into the frontcourt and settled for an off-balance 3-pointer with four seconds left from 31-feet out. On Thursday, Westbrook was one-on-one against Harden, but he had enough time before hoisting his shot to possibly draw a foul on a drive or pull up from midrange, where he’d been successful on every defender the Rockets threw at him.
Or did he have enough time to kick out to a teammate? Harden won the game with the killer pass. Why not Westbrook?
Oladipo, for instance, is shooting 10-of-21 (47.9 percent) in clutch time this season, and 3-of-8 from 3. Yet, Oladipo has zero shot attempts in the final 10 seconds of games this season.
At 12-10, the Thunder has the league’s 12th-best winning percentage in clutch games this season. Two of those losses came this week to Milwaukee and Houston, games in which Westbrook missed key 3-pointers when a 2-pointer could have tied the game.
After Monday’s 3-of18 second half against Milwaukee in which he missed a go-ahead 3-point try with 36 seconds left, Westbrook said he wasn’t worried about shaking off the bad shooting night.
“I could give a d--- if I miss 20 shots or I made 20,” Westbrook said. “We didn’t win the game. So it’s important to get back on the court and win.”
In the final 10 seconds when the game is tied or within three points, Westbrook is generating free throws at a high rate, attempting 19 in the last two seasons and 65 for his career. Where he could improve is getting teammates involved, as he has just four career assists in those games.
But that’s also what makes Westbrook great: His willingness to take the shots with the game in the balance. More than any player in the NBA this season, Westbrook will have the ball in his hands with a chance to tie or win.
Making more of those shots and taking better ones could be a lethal addition to his already stellar game.