Thursday Bolts – 3.5.15

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com: “But … the fact that Westbrook is doing this without the reigning MVP, Durant, has to carry some weight, depending on how you define “most valuable.” (Same goes for the Rockets’ James Harden, by the way, who has been on tear with Dwight Howard out of the lineup.) And can you truly rely on the standings alone to determine who’s the “best” or “most dangerous” team in the West the way this season has played out? Would anyone in their right mind want to mess with Westbrook right now — with or without Durant — in a first-round playoff series? I wouldn’t.”

Micah Peters of USA Today: “Is Russell Westbrook a championship-caliber point guard? Who can say? Are his media antics childish? Possibly. Was he bathed in the River Styx as an infant? The jury’s still out on that. One thing is for sure, though: Russell Westbrook is very, very, very good at basketball.”

Berry Tramel ruining everyone’s fun: “Of course, the Thunder bench was playing against a D-league team, because what should be the Sixers’ bench is actually the Sixers’ starting lineup. The Thunder can be forgiven for being lost early — it’s hard to get up for the 76ers. But to repeatedly let Philadelphia back in the game? That’s unforgivable for a team fighting for its post-season destiny. I expect Westbrook to keep playing like this. I don’t expect the Thunder to keep playing like this. OKC can’t afford it.”

Here’s what I wrote at ESPN.com after last night.

Jordan White of Fox Sports on who took Serge’s water: “The most likely suspect. As the elder statesman of the Thunder, Collison probably thought he had rights to anyone’s water, Ibaka’s included. So he took it, without remorse, without second thought. When Ibaka went on a rampage searching for his disappeared water, Collison probably pointed him in Durant’s direction. Such a crafty, veteran move.”

Darnell Mayberry: “But it wasn’t just what Westbrook did in dominating the Sixers while leading his team to victory. It wasn’t just that he posted his fourth consecutive triple-double. It wasn’t even the monster numbers within that triple-double. This time, it was that Westbrook did all that just four days after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured right cheekbone. Five days ago, the man had a dent the size of a nickel in his face. On Wednesday, had it not been for the protective mask Westbrook wore — a conventional clear one much to the chagrin of many — you wouldn’t have known anything was wrong.”

Kelly Dwyer of BDL: “This dunk marked the first two points of a 20-2 run to end the first period, a run that fed mostly off of Westbrook’s brilliance. He finished the period with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. Westbrook also played the entire first quarter. Though it should be noted that two of the Thunder’s strongest runs came with him on the bench (he was a minus-14 on the night), it was absolutely astonishing to see Westbrook gather more and more strength as the game moved along. He would have had 17 rebounds as well, had he not pawed his last carom just after the game’s final buzzer.”

Andrew Gilman of Fox Sports Southwest: “There was talk about Westbrook sitting this one out. Taking it easy. After all, lowly, 13-win Philly was in town. But this isn’t the kind of season where Westbrook has held back. So he didn’t on Wednesday. The rest of the Thunder starters combined for exactly 12 points, so Westbrook took over. Down 16 points with less than 16 minutes to play, Westbrook rallied his team and then took the lead in the league’s scoring race. And we’re debating the MVP? The Thunder started 3-12 and were lifeless and stagnant without Westbrook who missed all of November.”