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NBA Season Preview: 5 best off-the-dribble creators

By John Buhler

Oct 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during a game against the New York Knicks at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during a game against the New York Knicks at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 23, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) poses for portraits during Oklahoma City Thunder media day at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 23, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) poses for portraits during Oklahoma City Thunder media day at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder PG

One of the most likely candidates to win 2016-17 NBA MVP has to be Oklahoma City Thunder star point guard Russell Westbrook. This guy might seriously average a triple-double this season. Westbrook is one of the most athletically gifted point guards the NBA has ever seen.

He has made five All-NBA teams and five trips to the NBA All-Star game as the league’s best Robin the last eight seasons. Westbrook had to take a back seat to Kevin Durant as the franchise’s best player from 2008 to 2015. Now that Durant has skipped town to play for the Golden State Warriors, it’s full throttle for Westbrook.

Westbrook averaged 23.5 points per game, 10.4 assists per game, and 7.8 rebounds per game in 2015-16. Those were career highs in assists and rebounds. His points per game only dipped because he had to feed Durant the rock out on the perimeter. In 2014-15, Durant missed roughly three-quarters of the season with three different foot injuries. Westbrook would lead the NBA in scoring, but his Thunder only finished in ninth place in the Western Conference.

He has a good supporting cast that will allow him to be the lone star of the Thunder. This is great rebounding team that will let the offense run entirely through Westbrook. He’ll have to improve drastically from three-point land, but an angry Westbrook is the toughest point guard to defend in the NBA.

Take the best parts of his last two seasons, combine them, and that’s what to expect from him in 2016-17. Whether he’s frustrated or unencumbered, Westbrook will be a wizard with the basketball this season for the Thunder.