Point guards are often measured by the success they have leading their teams. Sure, individual numbers clearly have an impact to determine which player is better. But the ability to orchestrate an offense is also a very important part of being a successful floor general.
When talking about the best point guards in the NBA right now, we always hear the same names. John Wall, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and maybe even Kemba Walker. But two names we always hear at the top of the list are Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry.
On one hand, Curry is the reigning MVP in the league and one of the game’s most recognizable players. He has been the MVP the past years while leading the Golden State Warriors to the NBA title and a Western Conference championship over that span. That’s successful anyway you look at it, although we have to consider these past two years he had Draymond Green and Klay Thompson next to him. And if that wasn’t enough, this year he also has Kevin Durant.
On the other hand, we have a polarizing name like Westbrook. Some believe he’s a shooting guard masked into a point-guard role. Others believe he’s one of the most complete floor generals in the game: he can score, rebound and assist with the best of them. However, Westbrook has been in the NBA Finals and in the Western Conference Finals a few times before, but has never been able to win a title. And it’s not like he had a bad team around him. He had Durant and Serge Ibaka last year, and Harden also played for the Thunder a few years ago.
So in the department of success as a team, Curry gets the nod – although it needs to be acknowledged he has been playing next to some of the league’s best players for quite a while. But what happens when we look at the individual numbers?
Westbrook definitively gets the nod on that aspect of the game. The Thunder guard is averaging a triple-double and barring something spectacular, he will become the second player in NBA history to accomplish that feat. Westbrook averages 31.4 points, 10.3 assists and 10.5 rebounds per game. He leads the NBA in scoring, and his PER of 30.21 easily paces the rest of the league. Sure, he’s not the most efficient player out there and often commits lots of turnovers. But the Thunder wouldn’t even be a playoff team without him on the roster. He’s putting one of the best individual seasons in the history of the league without a lot of help.
On the other hand, Curry is a few steps below in comparison to his past two seasons. The Warriors superstar averages 24.9 points, 6.3 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. One could think his drop in numbers came given Durant’s presence on the roster. But at the same time, many believe Curry should have higher assist totals considering the players he has around. So on the individual numbers, the nod goes to Westbrook this season.
We could also look at the career numbers. Westbrook averages 22.5 points, 7.9 assists and 6.1 rebounds. Meanwhile Curry sports 22.7 points, 6.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds. Surprising as it is, Curry has been the better scorer while Westbrook is the best passer (in terms of assists). One would have thought it was the other way around, right?
In the end, it’s quite hard to determine who’s the better player. But Westbrook has been in Curry’s place before and couldn’t win, while Curry already knows what’s like to win an NBA title. And even if the numbers aren’t as flashy as Westbrook’s ones, the reigning MVP is far more efficient on both ends of the court.
So don’t panic, everyone. Even though Westbrook’s season will likely go as one of the best in the history of the game, Curry still gets the nod as a better overall player. And it’s not even close.