All-Star Point Guards Sorely Missed
Added on May 16, 2013 by Scott in
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There are a few reasons why the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder were eliminated from the playoffs last night. Great defense from the Heat and Grizzlies, spotty bench play, a lack of low post production, and LeBron James being at the forefront. However, the absence of All-Star point guards Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook was the most critical, especially in the case of the Thunder.
Rose never saw the floor this season after tearing his ACL in the 2012 playoffs. Despite a steady flow of rumors to the contrary, he wasn’t expected to rejoin the team for the 2013 playoffs. Without him, the Bulls were able to outlast Brooklyn in the opening round, but competing with the Heat proved to be an impossible task.
A fully healthy Rose might not have been enough to beat Miami, but he certainly would’ve bolstered a limited Bulls offense that was already missing Luol Deng to illness and Kirk Hinrich to a bruised calf. The 2011 MVP’s contributions on both ends of the court are the difference between Chicago being a good team and a legit contender.
Westbrook’s injury came at the worst possible time for the Thunder. Kevin Durant is a fantastic player, but even he couldn’t make up Westbrook’s 23 points and 7 assists per night. Poised to make another run at a championship, Oklahoma City had no answers for Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley, who dominated their thin backcourt in four straight victories.
The Thunder are dangerous because of Westbrook and Durant’s ability to operate a fast-paced attack. Reggie Jackson is a solid backup, but he doesn’t possess Westbrook’s skill as a floor general. Without Westbrook, Memphis was able to dictate a slower tempo and therefore dominate in the half court with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.
The good news is Rose and Westbrook are only 24 and hopefully have long careers ahead of them. The Bulls and Thunder are obviously hurting right now, but the future of both teams remains bright.
