Thunder Vet: “Russell Westbrook Thinks He’s Better Than Kevin Durant”

Let’s state this upfront. “Thunder Vet” could mean someone whose not currently with the team. Not that it matters, just the fact that an “insider” has now publicly said “Westbrook thinks he’s better than Durant” the trouble has just begun. Here are the details:

What undoubtedly fueled Westbrook’s fiery response is a sense of entitlement. As one Thunder veteran said, privately, “He thinks he’s better than Kevin Durant.”

Not only that, but Westbrook has the backing of Thunder GM Sam Presti, who made a name for himself with his drafting of Westbrook with the fourth pick in 2008. Presti’s micromanagement behind the scenes has caused some friction between the head of the front office and his coaches, but Brooks didn’t pay any attention to that when he saw that Maynor was his best option to even the series.

One of the things I like best about the Thunder team is the closeness of the guys. It’s why I feel like the Perkins/Green trade ultimately failed. It’s why I hope they can make it through this. Lots of teams have been broken up by ego clashes. (Shaq/Kobe, KG/Starbury). I don’t know that I’m buying this story.

But, keep this fact in mind:

Entering Game 3 Saturday, Westbrook had assisted on 54 of Durant’s field goals this postseason. It’s significant because it leads the NBA not just by a little, but doubles the next closest tandem (27 for Rajon Rondo to Paul Pierce and Jason Kidd to Dirk Nowitzki).