Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Usually, when philosophers or artists pass away, their works become much more important and popular nationwide. While Russell Westbrook is neither an artist nor a philosopher, his absence during the 2013 NBA Playoffs — not death– will make the Oklahoma City Thunder faithful appreciate him much more.
Despite having surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee on April 27th, the high-flying point guard no longer is relegated to his crutches. This is a turning point in his recovery considering the Thunder organization said they wouldn’t have a timetable for him to get back on the court until No. 0 was able to move around without the help of crutches.
It’s rather astounding, but the ex-UCLA Bruins standout had not missed a single high school, collegiate or NBA game prior to Game 2 of the first-round series versus the Houston Rockets.
Idiotic fans across the globe have screamed for Oklahoma City to deal Westbrook, but the future of the franchise rests in the hands of the team’s point guard. Anyone who thought that the Thunder could win via the “Kevin Durant Show,” was proved wrong once the team was uprooted by the one-dimensional Memphis Grizzlies.
For the first time in his career, Westbrook will be able to enjoy an offseason free of pointless trade rumors and other useless jargon. It will be interesting to see how he reacts now that the Westbrook haters have been shushed. While the Thunder do have the pieces to win an NBA title in the near future, they definitely need Westbrook on the court in order to raise a banner this decade.
