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Despite turnover troubles, Russell Westbrook has had a strong season with the LA Lakers. He has played in all 38 games, averaging 19.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. Westbrook is third in scoring, second in rebounds and leads the team in assists per game. That surely means he has contributed in all areas.
Another area of focus in Westbrook’s game is his defense. His high-intensity game puts him in position to force turnovers and slow down the opponent’s offense. With 1,669 career steals and in his 14th season, Westbrook has been be a problem for opponents.
On that note, let's take a look at his top five seasons in terms of steals per game (minimum of 50 played games).
Russell Westbrook's top 5 seasons in terms of steals per game
No. 5: OKC Thunder, 2017-18 – 1.8 steals
The OKC Thunder signed Paul George to pair with Russell Westbrook in a bid to remain title contenders. Carmelo Anthony was another star in the mix, having signed for the same season. The Thunder finished 48-34 and in fifth place in the Western Conference.
Westbrook led the team in scoring (25.4 ppg), rebounds (10.1 rpg) and assists (10.3 apg). His steals average was 1.8, second on the team behind George.
After winning the first game in the first round of the playoffs, Westbrook had two back-to-back poor shooting games, and those turned out to be crucial. Despite "Mr. Triple-Double" averaging 29.3 points, 12 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.5 steals in the series against the Utah Jazz, Westbrook and the Thunder were eliminated in six games.
No. 4: OKC Thunder, 2018-19 – 1.9 steals
The duo of Russell Westbrook and Paul George helped the Thunder (49-33) finish the regular season in sixth place. Westbrook played in 73 games, averaging another triple-double season, with 22.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg and 10.7 apg.
Westbrook had three or more steals in 15 regular season games. His best defensive performance came against the Sacramento Kings, in which he logged 19 points, 11 rebounds, 17 assists and six steals.
The 2019 playoffs did not end well for the OKC Thunder. In five games, they managed to win only once. Damian Lillard played sensationally for the Portland Trail Blazers. Westbrook played his last game for the Thunder in the series. In the offseason, he secured a move to the Houston Rockets to play alongside former teammate James Harden.
No. 3: OKC Thunder, 2010-11 – 1.9 steals
In 2010-11, the OKC Thunder played hard to finish in the top four of the Western Conference. Led by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, the Thunder finished 55-27. Westbrook proved to be a problem for the opponents, recording 155 steals. In 82 games, he averaged 21.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.9 steals.
Westbrook made his second playoff appearance in 2011 and had a deep run. After beating the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies, the Thunder lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals. In the five-game series, Westbrook averaged 23.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists but could not lift the Thunder past Dallas.
No. 2: OKC Thunder, 2015-16 – 2.0 steals
The OKC Thunder (55-27) won 67.1% of their regular season games, finishing third behind the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs.
The duo of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant put up big performances on a consistent basis. Westbrook recorded a season-high six steals along with 26 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in a loss to the Chicago Bulls. He was defensively strong, recording 2.0 steals per game.
The Thunder beat the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs in five and six games respectively to face the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder surprisingly gave up a 3-1 lead, losing the last four games in the series. This was the closest they had come to making the NBA Finals, but missed out again in deflating fashion.
No. 1: OKC Thunder, 2014-15 – 2.1 steals
Russell Westbrook played most of the 2014-15 season without his partner, Kevin Durant. Durant had multiple injuries and played only 27 games. Westbrook carried the Thunder, averaging 28.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 2.1 steals in 67 games. He recorded 140 steals, displaying his quick hands on defense.
Westbrook scored a combined 73 points in the last two regular season games, but the Thunder did not advance to the postseason. Their 45-37 record was exactly the same as the eighth-placed New Orleans Pelicans, but the Thunder missed the playoffs by virtue of a tiebreaker.
Guess the Lakers players!
