Westbrook

(from Getty Images, via The Ringer)

There are so many NBA players that are entertaining to watch this year: Steph Curry, KD, LeBron, The Beard, Kawhi, Isiah Thomas (the Younger), but Russell Westbrook is my favorite.  He's led the Oklahoma City Thunder, sans KD, into playoff contention by a sheer act of will, playing every minute on the court like he's the Energizer bunny and averaging a triple-double (only accomplished by one other NBA player, Oscar Robertson, more than a half century ago).

Bill Simmons sums it up well at The Ringer:

Again, Westbrook is amazing. Twice this season, he demolished my beloved Celtics with some of the best I-have-giant-balls crunch-time offense I’ve ever seen. Even longtime Boston announcer Tommy Heinsohn, who abhors one-on-one basketball, left the second game gushing about Westbrook’s brilliance and never-ending gas tank (which ranks up there with LeBron, and that’s about it). How does Russ never get tired? Does he sweat? Does he even have sweat glands? Does he sleep? Does he bleed? Has anyone ever seen what happens to Westbrook during a power blackout?

Seeing him in person is even more exciting than viewing on cable.  Two years ago we saw him play the Phoenix Suns at a time when Durant was out with an injury.  It was electrifying.

This past Wednesday, we watched, along with friends, the 4th quarter of the Thunders-Trailblazers game.  On two consecutive possessions, Westbrook drove the floor on one-on-three fast breaks and scored on layups.  We couldn't help but yelp loudly in amazement.  You can watch the sequence starting at 7:10 in the video below.