Coach Russell Westbrook is a thing for the Rockets (video)

Russell Westbrook, out due to injury, uses his leadership to help Houston.

Coach Russell Westbrook is proving to be a valuable piece for the Houston Rockets.

The 2017 NBA MVP and nine-time All-Star selection, Westbrook, is sidelined due to a quadriceps injury. With no timetable for his return, it is possible he may miss the entire NBA Playoffs first round series between the Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder. While he isn’t able to compete on the floor, he has used his leadership from the bench to help this squad lead the best of seven series 2-0.

This is more than a few words of encouragement, Westbrook, really has turned into Coach Westbrook during this series. He drew high praise from former NBA point guard and head coach Mark Jackson. In addition to rooting on his teammates, he has been actively talking to referees, his teammates and fellow coaches.

“I want greatness, not just a sit-and-chill. I want him to have dialogue with everybody and be engaged. That is outstanding leadership by Westbrook,” Jackson said complimenting Westbrook’s engagement this series.

Westbrook has actively been telling coaches what he sees on the court to help the coaching staff make adjustments to their game plan , Jackson said. Having to make adjustments is key in this series as head coach Mike D’Antoni has drastically tweaked this team’s identity in this series to makeup for the on-court absence of Westbrook. Disguising their defensive coverage to appear as zone when it is man-to-man is one of the new wrinkles the coach added.

With an extra pair of eyes with Coach Westbrook supporting, the team sits in prime position to defeat the Thunder now up two games. James Harden, the 2018 league MVP, spoke of Westbrook’s impact on the team.

“(Westbrook) is our leader. His communication and his voice matters to us,” Harden said.