Mark Cuban: Not only is Russell Westbrook not a superstar, he's not in MVP race
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Eddie Sefko, Staff Writer Contact Eddie Sefkoon Twitter
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The triple-double machine that is Russell Westbrook rolled through American Airlines Center Sunday night and the mystery surrounding him remains.
How does somebody get 30 triple-doubles in a season when he’s not a superstar?
Mark Cuban,
sticking to his guns as always, reiterated before Westbrook came out with a vengeance against the Mavericks what his criteria that make a superstar legitimate.
“If I changed my mind, it would ruin all the fun,” Cuban said. “You got to win 50 games and a playoff series. It’s impressive, don’t get me wrong. It’s incredible. He’s unstoppable in his own way. But the criteria (are) the criteria. There’s lots of rewards for individual accomplishments. But it’s a team game. That’s not to take anything away from Russ. It would be no fun if I changed my mind.”
Westbrook is having a monstrous season, one that hasn’t been seen since Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double in 1961-62.
The Oklahoma City point guard came into Sunday’s game averaging 31.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.1 assists.
Cuban also said he does not consider Westbrook an MVP candidate.
Asked for his ballot at this point in the season, he said: “(James) Harden, LeBron (James), toss up. (Westbrook’s) not. Look at Harden, he took a team that was 41-41 last year. Look what they’re doing now. Like I said, he (Westbrook) is having a great, incredible individual year. But the Rockets are a top-three record after everybody wrote them off because of James Harden. That's the difference.”
For a dissenting opinion, Rick Carlisle was very much available for comment.
“It’s amazing what Westbrook is doing,” he said. “He has boundless energy and he never slows down. His wide-ranging skills and the tenacity you have to have to average that many rebounds, it’s impossible to describe. I’m in awe of it.”
Briefly: The Mavericks played 10 players in the first half against the Thunder. Six of them were never drafted by an NBA franchise - Wesley Matthews, Seth Curry, Yogi Ferrell, Quinn Cook, Dorian Finney-Smith and Salah Mejri ... Dirk Nowitzki started at center against the Thunder, with Nerlens Noel coming off the bench as Wesley Matthews returned to the lineup after missing two games with a right hip injury.
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