NBA scores 2017: Russell Westbrook’s always in control for the Thunder

Russell Westbrook didn’t record a triple-double on Thursday. That must have annoyed him, because instead he dropped 45 points on 29 shot attempts instead, lighting up the Mavericks on national television for a 109-98 Oklahoma City win.

So much of the conversation surrounding Westbrook has fallen on his triple-double watch, and deservedly so. He’s still averaging a triple-double this season despite his measly eight rebound and three assist showing on Thursday. Whenever a player is doing something that hasn’t even been seen for more than five decades, we’re going to talk about that.

Somewhat lost in this is that Westbrook is the league’s leading scorer, too. His immense workload he’s lifting nightly for the Thunder hasn’t made him too efficient, but he can still be calculating with his shot attempts in the right circumstances. On Thursday, Westbrook shot 16-of-29 from the field, hit half of his eight three-point attempts and knocked down nine of his 11 freebies.

It happens so easily. On Thursday, Westbrook dominated from the post, taking on smaller defenders like Seth Curry and Pierre Jackson as easily as he waxed a larger man like Dorian Finney-Smith. Normally, the low post clings onto traditional basketball values like careful footwork and patience. It’s a place where old school players can operate without the modern NBA disrupting them.

Not for Westbrook. He treats the backdown with reckless abandon like every other part of his game. It’s not a patient waiting game, but a countdown until he can strike. He’ll spin around on a post-up in either direction, suddenly righting himself towards the basket, where he can attack violently. On another possession, he’ll surprise you by defaulting to a simple turnaround jump shot.

Add to that Westbrook’s usual gallivanting fast breaks and deadly explosions when the lane opens up ever so slightly, and you’re dealing with a 40-point evening for the Thunder star.

Westbrook put the Mavericks away on Thursday with his jump shot, nailing pull-ups from inside the arc and then three straight triples to close out the game. Those contested threes always look better when they’re going in, of course, but Westbrook used them judiciously against Dallas — waiting until his defender really sagged off him to pull the shot. Maybe that wasn’t the case on the last one, where he lost his dribble a little and picked it up only to toss in a shot from 28 feet. But for Westbrook, he’s always playing the game a step away from completely unraveling.

Who knows. Maybe that slight bobble was even planned.

One thing is for sure: Westbrook always knows what he’s doing.

After the league announced the starters last week, the reserves for both conferences were released on Thursday. Here’s a complete list of every player we know is participating in the weekend so far.

Westbrook incredulously missed being an All-Star starter, but he made the team. The biggest snubs among the reserves was Chris Paul, Damian Lillard and Joel Embiid. Here’s those three, plus a couple more players who arguably should have made the team. For Lillard, it’s a third year in a row that he has been overlooked, although his absence this year (despite averaging more than 26 points) makes more sense than usual this season.

LeBron James will also be missing his usual banana boat buddies.

Meanwhile, to change things up slightly: Kemba Walker is an All-Star, and he’s absolutely deserving of it.

It must have come down to DeAndre Jordan vs. Gobert. The two defense-first centers were All-Star candidates in the Western Conference, but Jordan was the one who got the nod from the coaches who voted. Jordan is deserving, without question — this is his first time making the team, but he’s averaging 12.5 points on 69 percent shooting with a career-high 14 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game.

Jordan anchors the sixth-best defense in the league, but Gobert fills up the middle for the second best. Utah allows three fewer points per 100 possessions than the Clippers this season, and until you really watch him patrol the middle for the Jazz, it’s impossible to know exactly how much credit Gobert deserves it all.

Gobert on Thursday blocked three out of the Lakers’ last five shots. He ended up with six total blocks to go with his nine points and 13 rebounds, and here’s one he came over from the weak side to send away.

That gets in your head. Gobert is always there, always haunting any defender.

“He’s an All-Star to us,” said Jazz head coach Quin Synder. You can’t blame the Jordan selection, but Gobert certainly had an equally strong case. Of course this is how he felt about it.

This was a certified Very Good Dunk.

Thunder 109, Mavericks 98 (Welcome to Loud City recap | Mavs Moneyball recap)

Pacers 109, Timberwolves 103 (Indy Cornrows recap | Canis Hoopus recap)

Nuggets 127, Suns 120 (Denver Stiffs recap | Bright Side of the Sun recap)

Jazz 96, Lakers 88 (SLC Dunk recap | Silver Screen & Roll recap)