NBA: The Derrick Rose and Russel Westbrook connection

Finishers In the paint

Los Angeles Lakers v Minnesota Timberwolves

Both Russ and Rose are rim finishers. Westbrookian finishes are uber-athletic dunks and scowling faces while Rose's layups are twisting, body bending, ankle-breaking beauties.

Rose has this way of breaking ankles the old school way - by finishing the play rather than drawing a foul in this unbearably soft league.

Oklahoma City Thunder v Brooklyn Nets

Westbrook is real steel inside the paint - the real mind-boggling fact about his triple-double stats is how he manages to average double digits in rebounding as a 6'3 point guard. Unbelievable. At thirty years old with a 108 career triple-doubles, Westbrook is the only real challenger to Robertson's throne as Mr. Triple Double.

Both are effective with the ball, and Westbrook has posted some mind-boggling usage statistics during his MVP campaign. The wisdom in taking as many shots as he did may be debatable, but what he did was still great. The same goes for Rose.

It's the off-ball threat they represent that actually matters.