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NBA Power Rankings: Spurs on top? Kawhi not

By Brandon Jefferson

Mar 4, 2017; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives to the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio (9) defends during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives to the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio (9) defends during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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Thunder
Mar 2, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) falls to the floor as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) looks to drive to the basket during the second half of the game at Moda Center. The Blazers won 114-109. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /
12

Oklahoma City Thunder 38-29

Last week: 4-4
Last rank: 12th

The Thunder’s story (West)brook year is starting to lose its shine. After watching Russell Westbrook storm out of the gates on what looked to be a season full of revenge and historic stats, things have slowed down and Oklahoma City is in a battle to stay out of the seventh seed. Westbrook’s triple-double average is one of the most mind-blowing stats of the decade, but if it isn’t bringing the Thunder team success then it is almost as if it was all for nothing.

Against the Trail Blazers, the All-NBA point guard scored a career-high 58 points, but his team lost. For the season, the Thunder have lost the last four games in which Westbrook has scored 45 or more points (tying him with Nate Archibald and Wilt Chamberlain for second most consecutive losses when scoring that many points). Chamberlain and Walt Bellamy are tied atop that list with seven such games each.

For Oklahoma City, it’s actually the triple-doubles that are more impactful than the volume of points. The Thunder have an 11-23 record in games that Westbrook doesn’t post a triple-double and 26-4 when he does. Injuries to Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo had forced Russ to try and take on a bigger role in the team’s offense. However, when Russ goes into hero ball mode too early it hinders the Thunder’s chances to win. With 18 games left on the schedule, it’ll be interesting to see if Westbrook goes back to attempting to rack up his assists early in the game.

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