What multiple facets do you speak of? I see only one facet that Kyrie has over Russ and thats the 3 ball. Everything is pretty much equal that involves finishing around the rim, taking man off dribble, mid range shot, FT line, i mean where is the second facet to back up your 'multiple'?
I think Russ is the better player right now only because he carried that team much of the season in the tough west with a playoff spot. I never seen Kyrie carry us like he is doing for them until LeBron came. Basically if Kyrie would of willed us to at least and 8th seed once then im not even typing this.
And im not downplaying Kyrie either, im ecstatic we have him locked up and would rather have him over Russ because I've came accustomed to his style of play.
Kyrie is a much more complete scorer, and can do it multitude of ways better than Westbrook can overall. I am not saying he's the better scorer than Westbrook RIGHT NOW, but Kyrie can do it in a lot of different ways than Westbrook can. Basically as a pure offensive talent goes, Kyrie has him beat. His game just hasn't completely evolved yet.
Westbrook does not create separation, not even close to the way Kyrie does.
Westbrook relies on screens in the half court, to get off his shot. He cannot beat guys off the dribble, to get his shot even remotely as good as Kyrie. He's great at beating his guy off of screens, using his athleticism to get to the hoop.
In a half court set, I DO NOT think Westbrook is as good at getting to the basket as Kyrie, because Kyrie's ball handling is so good, he doesn't even need help from screens to get to the hoop. He can burn you to the hoop with hedges, traps, anything without any help, he's that damn good with the ball in his hands.
In full court, Westbrook has Kyrie beat. That's where Westbrook is at his best, attacking the fast break in transition to the hoop, pull up threes, or mid jumpers. He's the best at that. He's devastating and a nightmare to guard that way too.
Kyrie is great in transition too, but not as a great as Westbrook.
When it comes to guards, creating their own offense, no one does it better than Kyrie.
There's not a player in the game, that create separation as good as Kyrie does, just because of his dribbling ability.
He can go right or left better than anyone playing. He can get a shot off against anyone, at any point on the floor, just from his ball handling alone. Balling handling is a very underrated aspect for guards. Kyrie can go anywhere, do anything he wants on the floor, because his ball handling is that good. That changes an entire dynamic of what he can do on the floor, an against whom.
This is why no one can guard Kyrie when he has it going. Big, small, fast, whatever, it doesn't matter. You can't put someone that's faster, stronger, and quicker on Kyrie and think they are going to get an advantage. Because they're not. That's a very rare skill for someone to have in their tool shed, that's very rare. I don't think some of you grasp how rare and special that really is.
There's not a guard as gifted as a scorer as Kyrie. I think he will lead the league in scoring one day. It's going to happen. He's a better shooter than Westbrook, he can get to any place on the floor better than Westbrook can, and his ability to handle the ball is better than Westbrook, and I've never seen a guard that can finish in traffic, with either hand like Kyrie.
Also, speed is so overrated at times with guards. You only truly get to utilize speed in transition. Obviously Kyrie will never be Westbrook, John Wall, or even Derrick Rose in transition. He's not as fast as those guys.
In the half court, where majority of basketball is played out, no one moves better than Kyrie. His ball handling is so good, he can out maneuver guys in tight spaces quicker than anyone in the league, just because of his ball handling skills alone. He is a night mare in the half court! Defenses start back stepping from him, before he even makes his move when he has it going.
He had the entire Spurs team back pedaling on their heals before he was even making his moves, just in preparation of what they knew was coming.
Westbrook can do things Kyrie can't, but if you seriously think there are things that Kyrie does that Westbrook can do just as well, you have no clue what you're talking about.
Kyrie will lead the league in scoring one day. Not a doubt in my mind. He doesn't play like he's 6-3, and he it shows that on the floor. His ability to get a shot off, over anyone, at any time, on any place of the floor, is something like I've never seen before for someone his size.
