[JDB12Participant]

 It’s obvious that Westbrook and Harden are killing it this year, and their teams are winning for the most part. Both are early frontrunners for MVP and are triple-doubles waiting to happen. So my question is, why are they receiving so much hate for the turnovers they commit?  I know that we have all been taught how important taking care of the ball is since our youth, but I’m sick of going on social media, and seeing the NBA post about one of the two putting up great numbers in a team win, and then someone commenting "but they had 8 turnovers." Yes, that is a lot of turnovers for a player in a single game, but more often than not, they are the reason their team wins. There will obviously always be people that pick out the negatives in every performance, but I was just wondering what you guys think about this.  Do you think a 5-10 turnover game is a big deal if they are helping their team win, especially relative to the amount of time these guys have the ball in their hands because that’s what their team needs them to do. I don’t think that 8 turnovers is too bad.

[negguaryParticipant]

As high as their usage is, and there superior talent to their teammates in addition to how much they have to do to make their teammates better they are bound to get turnovers!  

[Anton123Participant]

It’s almost unseen for superstars who score around 30 ppg to also dish out over 11 apg. Just like it is almost unseen for a player to commit so many turnovers. I guess if you’re playing on a bad team, dribbling the ball almost all of the game and making countless passes, turnovers are bound to happen. 

[Anton123Participant]

 That being said, I would like both Harden and Westbrook to be more careful with the ball, some turnovers are from pure carelessness, both must get their averages under 5 turnovers. Anything from 8 to 10 turnovers is crazy, the whole Detroit team averages 11.5 per game, no way a single player should lose the ball almost as many times as a whole team, that’s unacceptable.

[OhCanada-Participant]

 I love turnovers! They make the game fun haha. That and my guys are amongst the league leaders in assist/turnover ratio and probably the best in the league when also considering thier usage and minutes played. Keep the fast breaks coming and while your playing Toronto why not pull up from 3 on those leak outs like Crowder kept doing last night which basically won us the game.

[Sewok15Participant]

 Chris Paul just had 20 points and 20 assists with 0 turnovers…nobody has done that since they starting officially keeping the turnover stat. I don’t think Harden or Westbrook could ever do that even though they are both better players in my mind. 

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

Both harden and Westbrook are on pace to not only break the all-time record for turnovers in a season. They will absolutely shatter it. Last year harden averaged 4.6 turnovers a game (then an NBA record). Both Westbrook and harden are currently averaging over a full turnover more per game right now. 

While some of the turnovers could probably be avoided, the overall usage rate and the way these guys play will always lead itself to a high number of turnovers. They both are literally almost the entire offense for their respective teams when on the floor. Thus far it is hard to argue with the results. I’m somewhat skeptical that it is an ideal formula for sustained success though, particularly in a playoff series where teams have the time to get more creative defensively. 

[Author]

Posts