That was the third biggest differential in the league (behind only Detroit and Indiana). Were 9.0 points per 100 possessions better with rest (plus-1.5) than they were on the second game of a back-to-back ( minus-7.6).Were one of two teams (Denver was the other) to rank in the top five in both offensive rebounding percentage ( first) and defensive rebounding percentage ( third). Led the league in total rebounding percentage for the third time in the last four seasons.That was the biggest NetRtg drop-off in the league. Were 7.0 points per 100 possessions worse than they were last season (plus-6.9 NetRtg).Playoffs: Team stats | Advanced splits | Player stats | Player shooting | Lineups History: Season by season results | Advanced stats | Franchise leadersДў016-17: Team stats | Advanced splits | Player stats | Player shooting | Lineups He generally didnвЂ™t stagger the minutes of Westbrook and Kevin Durant two seasons ago either, but did so in the playoffs.Дoing so again with his new big four would help make those no-Westbrook minutes not so awful. ItвЂ™s not encouraging that Donovan never staggered the minutes of Westbrook and Adams last season. Even if youвЂ™re skeptical about AnthonyвЂ™s ability to make a positive impact (considering both ends of the floor), the Thunder also have another impact player in Adams. Thunder coach Billy Donovan has the ability to have at least one All-Star (and maybe two) on the floor at all times. And just as important as the new guysвЂ™ ability to complement Westbrook is their ability to keep the Thunder afloat when he goes to the bench. The additions of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony obviously change the calculus in Oklahoma City. As was the case in the playoffs, Westbrook and Adams usually sat at the same time.

That was the seventh biggest on-off NetRtg differential in the league and the Thunder lost eight regular-season games in which Westbrook had a positive plus-minus. The ThunderвЂ™s no-Westbrook issues werenвЂ™t quite as dramatic in the regular season, but they were 12.2 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor (plus-3.3) than with him off the floor (minus-8.9). * Game 1 included more than four minutes of garbage time, so weвЂ™re disregarding it here. In the 24 minutes that both were off the floor, the Rockets scored an incredible 86 points. And regarding the defense, itвЂ™s notable that Steven Adams sat when Westbrook did.ДЄdams was the ThunderвЂ™s second most important player last season and was on the floor for only eight of those 32 minutes that Westbrook was on the bench in *Games 2-5. Houston scored 105 points in a little less than 32 minutes with Westbrook off the floor in Games 2-5. So youвЂ™d expect the offense to have issues when he sat.Д«ut in those playoff minutes, the OKC defense was worse than the offense. WestbrookвЂ™s regular-season usage rate of 40.8 percent was the highest since play-by-play data started being recorded in 1996. In Game 5, Westbrook was a plus-12 and the Thunder were outscored 27-9 in his six minutes on the bench.In Game 4, Westbrook was a plus-14 and the Thunder were outscored 28-8 in his nine minutes on the bench.In Game 2, Westbrook was a plus-11 and the Thunder were outscored 27-12 in his seven minutes on the bench.The reigning Kia MVP had a positive plus-minus in each of the last four games and Games 2, 4 and 5 were basically lost in the few minutes that he rested. In their first-round series, the Thunder outscored the Houston Rockets by 15 points with Westbrook on the floor. In the 2017 playoffs, the Oklahoma City Thunder were outscored by 58 points in just 46 minutes with Russell Westbrook on the bench. Today, we look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, who couldnвЂ™t back up the MVP. NBA.comвЂ™s John Schuhmann gets you ready for the 2017-18 season with a key stat for each team in the league and shows you why it matters.

Okc golden state plus minus minutes