A deep dive into Russell Westbrook’s defensive rebounding numbers
Is Westbrook padding his stats for triple-doubles or is he putting his 8.7 defensive rebounds per game to good use? Let’s take a closer look.
With Russell Westbrook putting up numbers we’ve only ever seen from Oscar Robertson, many have begun to question how he’s doing it. His rebounding in particular has been put under a microscope lately with the likes of Nylon Calculus and NBA Reddit pointing out that the majority of his rebounds thus far have been of the uncontested variety.
To some, it’s all the evidence they need to convince themselves Westbrook is padding his stats knowing he could become only the second player ever to average a triple-double for an entire season. To others, it shows the value in having an ultra-quick point guard who can grab a defensive rebound all by himself and initiate the offense in a hurry.
Before we take a closer look at which one of those is true, let’s make one thing clear: There isn’t much Westbrook can’t do on the court, but there’s also no denying his jump shot has always been his biggest weakness. It’s not that he can’t hurt teams from outside the paint. While he’s one of the worst 3-point shooters in NBA history, his ability to pull-up from midrange is what opens up his game for himself and others. However, since Westbrook can get to the basket at will, attacking a scrambled defense helps him overcome his somewhat inconsistent jump shot.
That’s where the defensive rebounds come back into the picture.
Westbrook scores nearly a fifth of his points in transition, which is a ridiculous rate only few players can come close to matching. Even though he’s not converting them with the same efficiency this season, he has a way of drawing the attention of multiple defenders when he crosses half court with a full head of steam while the defense is still back-peddling. With big men who can run the floor in Steven Adams and Enes Kanter, as well as wings who can play above the rim in Andre Roberson and Victor Oladipo, well-timed cuts can pave the way for easy baskets.
For example, watch Westbrook grab the defensive rebound in the video below and immediately go into attack mode. Brandon Knight is forced to pick him up full court after he misses a floater, so Westbrook easily beats him off the dribble and draws two more Suns defenders when he gets into the paint. Alex Len gets a hand on the pass to Kanter, but it doesn’t matter — Ersan Ilyasova has all the room in the world to snatch it out of the air for an uncontested layup.
Here’s another example, this time with Oladipo draining a corner 3-pointer after Westbrook draws multiple defenders in the paint and kicks it out to Domantas Sabonis. Notice just how many Raptors turn and face Westbrook when he approaches the perimeter.
The Thunder will even park Westbrook on the block next to the two big men when opposing teams shoot free throws. It’s unusual for point guards to be used in that fashion, but it goes to show how head coach Billy Donovan wants Westbrook to get them into their offense quickly. It comes especially in handy when a center or power forward is either on the line or actively fighting for position under the basket because it forces a rim protector to recover quickly on a miss.
After all, how many players in the NBA can grab a defensive rebound, push the ball themselves for powerful finishes at the rim and pull off outlet passes like this:
It’s also worth noting the reason many of Westbrook’s rebounds are uncontested is because opposing point guards rarely attack the glass for offensive rebounds. Instead, they are usually the first players back on defense following a missed shot. Westbrook is currently averaging 2.2 offensive rebounds per game. The only other point guards who average over one offensive rebound per game are Patrick Beverley (1.7), Derrick Rose (1.3), Ricky Rubio (1.2), Rajon Rondo (1.1), Kyle Lowry (1.0) and Goran Dragic (1.0).
Therefore, Westbrook can afford to abandon most point guards when a shot goes up to pursue a defensive rebound, as he does on this possession:
You may also have noticed the Thunder’s big men make it easy for Westbrook by boxing out their own assignments. With power forwards and centers being the biggest threat for offensive rebounds, taking them out of the play means Westbrook doesn’t have to worry about battling for position with someone much bigger than him. It cuts out the middleman, too, by putting the ball directly into Westbrook’s hands for him to impose his will rather than having him wait for an outlet pass.
“We’d rather it be him [getting the rebound],” Adams told ESPN. “I like it because I can actually box out my dude. It’s good that he actually gets to come in and take it. I don’t mind it.”
That’s not to say only good can come of Westbrook hunting for defensive rebounds. The following sequence showcases the risk and reward with his approach. First, Good Westbrook — he leaves Nick Young on the cut to prevent Lou Williams from getting an open layup. Then, Bad Westbrook—instead of running out to Young on the 3-point line to contest his shot when the Lakers secure the offensive rebound, he stays in the paint to grab a defensive rebound in case of a miss. Finally, Unstoppable Westbrook—Young misses and Westbrook turns on the jets to score a basket in transition.
So is there some degree of stat padding when it comes to Westbrook’s rebounding? Probably. It’s naive to think he’s not aware of the historical implications to what he’s doing. Still, it would be one thing if he didn’t do anything once he pulls down a defensive rebound. More often than not, he’s looking to push the tempo to pick teams apart when their guard is down, which helps the Thunder get early points on the board.
For a team that struggles to consistently space the floor in the half court, it’s an incredibly valuable weapon to have.
