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Rondo takes plays off on defense and can be a liability against great driving PGs. He gets steals so lazy media types fall in love with him, but good PGs eat him alive. Westbrook is also far more athletic. Aside from that, he's a way better scorer - it's not even close. Rondo has superior court vision but his decision making can be subpar far too often.

The only thing Westbrook is better than Rondo at is drawing fouls and general athleticism (which makes him a little bit better defensively).

General athleticism? Better defensively? You surely jest.

I jest not, my friend, so please stay cool. I said he is a little bit better, and I meant on-ball defense with respect to lateral speed and change of directions, not defensive awareness.
I'm not saying Westbrook is the better stealer either. But defense is more than steals and steals are overrated anyway, just like blocks. If you think Rondo is more athletic than Westbrook, well, that's you opinion, I guess.

Rondo is on the NBA defensive first team last season, lead the league in steals last season, is in the top 5 in steals this season, and pulls an uncanny amount of rebounds for a 6'1 PG.

So does Jason Kidd, and he's not considered an elite defender. Just to be clear I was not talking about rebounding when saying "defensively". Anyway Westbrook is a better rebounder and Rondo gets a lot of those easy defensive rebounds when KG just starts running the floor and lets Rondo grab the rebound and initiate the fastbreak.
I still think Rondo is the better player but you made it look like I never watch the games.

Rondo takes plays off on defense and can be a liability against great driving PGs.

This is just a fancy way to say "guards that are able to drive on anyone are able to drive on Rondo too".

No, it's a way of saying "Rondo isn't an elite man defender." It's not like he can handle anyone not named Paul or Williams.

He gets steals so lazy media types fall in love with him, but good PGs eat him alive.

Actually, no. It's more like the other way round. Rondo can single-handedly change the outlook of the game with defensive pressure on opposing PGs. He was holding opposing PGs to 16.5 PER 2 seasons ago, 17 PER last season, and an astounding 10 PER this season. Russell Westbrook, in comparison, is giving up a PER of 25 this season.

For details on the Player Efficiency Rating (PER), see (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Player_Efficiency_Rating). I recommend the section where 16.5 is described as "third banana", and 11 as "scrambling for minutes".

You're forgetting the part where PER is a useless stat.

Westbrook is also far more athletic.

This is simply not true.

They're about the same on the ground. Westbrook's on another level in the air. Westbrook's lateral quickness (and his use of it on defense) is better though. Rondo plays for the highlight reel, but as far as awareness on both ends of the court goes? It's not very impressive.

Aside from that, he's a way better scorer - it's not even close. Rondo has superior court vision but his decision making can be subpar far too often.

Yes, he's a better scorer. And he can shoot free throws better. And Rondo is a better player.

Westbrook is a good and all, and Oklahoma is a likable team, but that talk of "dominating everyone in the playoffs" is premature.
That's the point. It's November and the playoffs start in April. But Westbrook is a better player and it's not as close as you think. i live in Boston and watch a ton of Celts games - believe me, he's certainly a regular on the highlight reel, but his overall game is very flawed. Westbrook is elite, a notch below Paul/Williams/Nash.

I think this stopped being a help thread a couple days ago.

lol @ people using hollinger's PER in arguments.. he still has the heat #1 in his power rankings

lol Wade shot 1-13 today for his 3 points against the Pacers.
Without Haslem until the All-Star break the big "three" will have to log a lot more minutes and come playoff time they will run out of gas.

I admire Westbrook a lot, but when it comes to picking out a team mate Rondo is light years ahead. They're both effective, and I wouldn't even compare, cause the teams play differently. OKC swith more and with Russel you can do it better than with Rondo. Rondo'll sort his jump shot out in a couple of years, if he stops listening to the ball and no one will be able to say anything bad anymore.

I do hope OKC or Denver meet Boston (or Toronto, ha ha) in the Finals.