4 hours ago
(This post was last modified: 4 hours ago by dirkfansince1998.)
(Yesterday, 10:31 PM)cow Wrote: Give me Iverson too, but I've always liked Westbrook, warts and all. He played his ass off and maximized his potential.
I get that this has been the narrative ever since Westbrook entered the league but I never really saw it. For a player that supposingly played hard and outworked others his defense was really bad. Especially off the ball. Gambling for rebounds instead of closing out on shooters. Unable or unwilling to chase shooters around screens.
If we are just talking about effort on defense I have Westbrook in the Harden tier.
And I guess that's something he has in common with Iverson (and many other high usage ballhandlers). In his best years Iverson was surrounded by four hard working plus defenders. Snow, McKie and Lynch on the perimeter with Mutombo and/or Ratliff in the paint. Switch hunting wasn't a thing and that allowed Iverson to gamble in passing lanes.

