No. 2 – The New-Look Clutch City – Russell Westbrook and James Harden
I can already hear the groans, boos and comments of disapproval from the Utah faithful for me putting this duo as number two, but allow me to explain. First off, I’m completely aware of the fact that this pairing could absolutely blow up in the face of the Houston Rockets.
The last time these two played together in OKC, James Harden was a prolific sixth man extraordinaire and Russell Westbrook was the second alpha to Kevin Durant. Both have transformed exceedingly since that time as each has since won an MVP award and emerged as a tantalizing individual star.
But can the two coexist? That remains to be seen in a big way. But if we’re speaking on pure talent, this tandem is absolutely prolific and deserves recognition as one of the best in the West. James Harden alone is one of the best players in the NBA, so even had it remained Harden and Chris Paul, the Rockets backcourt would have scored high marks.
Now, replace an aging Paul and put in hyper-athletic Russell Westbrook alongside James and we have a pairing unlike any we’ve ever seen before. Sure, Russell has begun to lose a step off his fast-paced barrage and he’s far from efficient, including in the mid-range where CP3 did a lot of his damage, but he’s still a guy who’s averaged a triple-double three years in a row and commands the attention of defenses at all times.
Harden and Westbrook are both capable of the utmost scoring explosions and on an individual basis are two of the most prolific talents the league has seen the past few years. It says a lot about the Warriors’ dominance over the past few seasons that a pair of players who won two out of the last three MVP awards can team up and fans don’t even bat an eye or seem to fret about them.
True, a lot of that doubt in the pair is justified. Both demand the ball in their hands a lot. Neither have been able to carry the appropriate load in the playoffs to take their team all the way. Westbrook’s fit in D’Antoni’s system is questionable.
But until we see how the two unfold playing together, we have to stick with what we know. And what we know is that both of these guys are MVP-caliber players. Both have proven capable of dropping over 30 points per night for an entire season. And both stuff the stat sheet night in and night out.
Conley and Mitchell may ultimately prove more effective and fitting of a pairing, but until they do so, they still find themselves behind the new-look Clutch City pair.