Utah Jazz vs Oklahoma City Thunder: Who has the upper hand at each position?

MIAMI, FL – APRIL 09: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looking down the court from the bench during the game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on April 9, 2018 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by B51/Mark Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Russell Westbrook

PG: Ricky Rubio vs. Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook, fresh off averaging a triple-double for two straight seasons, is far and away the most talented player in this series. Over the last two seasons, the Thunder have an astonishing record of 54-14 when Westbrook records a triple-double. That record falls to 39-54 when he falls short.

While the numbers aren’t everything, Westbrook’s sheer competitiveness and night-in-night-out effort is simply unheard of in today’s NBA.

Ricky Rubio, on the other hand, will be playing in his first ever playoff game on Sunday. One of my biggest concerns is whether or not Rubio will be able to play within himself while playing on the game’s biggest stage.

Rubio has had a fantastic season and has played a crucial role in Utah’s regular-season turnaround, however, this matchup isn’t close.

Westbrook isn’t just a top player in this series, he is a top-five player in the entire league. It won’t matter if Rubio lives up to the moment, Westbrook is clearly the better player here and probably OKC’s best chance at besting Utah’s conference-best defense.

Advantage: OKC