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Eric Gordon calls Russell Westbrook the ‘burst’ that Rockets need

Eric Gordon Russell Westbrook

The Houston Rockets made a blockbuster trade earlier this month, acquiring Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Chris Paul and a couple of draft picks.

As one would expect, the move was somewhat polarizing on the part of the Rockets, as while a backcourt duo of James Harden and Westbrook is certainly talented, the fit is obviously questionable.

However, Rockets wing Eric Gordon is excited about the move, saying that Westbrook is exactly what Houston needs:

“It’s going to be really good,” Gordon said on 97.9 The Box. “He’s that burst that we need. I think he’s going to work out well for our team … He just has so much energy and athleticism and is tenacious with it.”

Gordon’s assessment of Westbrook is spot on. He definitely has a “burst,” and his athleticism and tenacity are mainly what have made him such a destructive force since he entered the league over a decade ago.

But there is also no denying that Westbrook comes with his fair share of drawbacks.

The 30-year-old is coming off of a 2018-19 campaign in which he averaged 22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, 10.9 assists and 1.9 steals over 36 minutes per game while shooting just 42.8 percent from the floor, 29 percent from three-point range and 65.6 percent from the free-throw line.

While his counting numbers are obviously great, his efficiency clearly isn’t, and given that Westbrook is a ball-dominant guard who is also a volume shooter, you have to wonder how he and Harden are going to co-exist at this stage of their careers.

Yes, they did it in Oklahoma City seven years ago, but that was then, and this is now.

The post Eric Gordon calls Russell Westbrook the ‘burst’ that Rockets need appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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