The NBA is blessed with talent in the modern era, some truly transcendent superstars have balled out during the 2010s. Stephen Curry stands atop the list of modern point guards, but others have made a name for themselves too.
Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, and Russell Westbrook are all future Hall Of Famers, so when fans were asked which of them they would start, bench, or cut, it sparked a fun discussion.
Start
Bench
Cut
*in their prime* pic.twitter.com/4PPHBkrvdB
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 28, 2023
Fans immediately started giving their takes on the issue, and here’s a look at some of the best reactions.
Comments have been edited for clarification:
Start Russ
Bench Kyrie
Cut Dame
— FOLLOW ~ asl.bsky.social ~ FOLLOW (@TheAlanShane) February 28, 2023
“Start Russ, Bench Kyrie, Cut Dame,” said a tweet with over 3,500 likes, showing that fans agreed with this pick to an extent.
Start Dame
Bench Kyrie
Cut Russ
— Justin Tyler™ (@JustinxTyler) February 28, 2023
“Start Dame, Bench Kyrie, Cut Russ,” claimed another fan, reversing the order from the first pick. And many made the case for these stars individually as well.
https://twitter.com/emorwasnothere/status/1630767932648091651
“To anyone saying cut Kyrie yall must have forgotten he was an essential piece in the 2015 and 2016 Finals,” one fan wrote.
So many cutting Russ like he wasn’t an mvp in his prime https://t.co/uSjUvOcKXV
— Sean (@dangercant1) February 28, 2023
With Russell Westbrook being subjected to a fair bit of hate and trolling one fan reminded people of what prime Russ was like, saying, “So many cutting Russ like he wasn’t an MVP in his prime.”
I'm starting Dame for sure, it's a toss up for who I'm cutting for Kyrie and russ, I love em both straight ballers https://t.co/aNjMUrnDWs
— JuanPablo (@JuanPablo_804) March 1, 2023
“I’m starting Dame for sure, it’s a toss-up for who I’m cutting between Kyrie and Russ, I love them both straight ballers.”
All 3 players have fans that will defend them tooth and nail, and it’s impossible to reach a consensus on what the right answer would be. The numbers from their best seasons show that all of them would have a serious case to start in this scenario.
How Do Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, And Kyrie Irving’s Best Seasons Stack Up Against One Another?
There are many ways to look at players’ primes, both in terms of individual success and team success. When it comes to individual stats, Russell Westbrook is the king. In his prime, he averaged a 31-point triple-double and won the MVP, something neither Damian Lillard nor Kyrie Irving can boast of.
However, his playoff resume after Kevin Durant left was quite poor, and Kyrie Irving has a championship, something the other two don’t. Damian Lillard has also carried his franchise to a level that Kyrie Irving has never managed. So it’s hard to pick which one was the best, but it’s a question that fosters some serious thought.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
