Westbrook: 'I'm not about to keep answering questions about me not passing'

Russell Westbrook didn't have his most efficient shooting night in Sunday's 101-99 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder's point guard shot 10-of-27 from the field, including 0-of-6 from long range, and missed a potential game-winning 3-point attempt. He missed a couple deep threes, as well as six field-goal attempts in the final 3:45 of play. 

Perhaps the trigger-happy Westbrook could have deferred to his teammates more, but with Kevin Durant sidelined for the second consecutive game with a right ankle sprain, it was a foregone conclusion that the Thunder were going to lean extra heavily on him. 

Regardless, he's grown sick and tired of critics questioning his shot selection and lack of playmaking. 

"When we won (seven) in a row nobody said nothing about not passing so I don't want to hear it now," Westbrook said after Sunday's game, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. "It's one game, so I'm not about to keep answering questions about me not passing now when we lose."

The Thunder recently won a season-high seven consecutive games, a streak which began on Durant's second contest of the season. But that streak also coincided with Westbrook returning from a hand fracture (it began on his third game back). 

Durant, the reigning MVP, is the best player on the team, but Westbrook - a three-time All-Star - is no slouch, either. He receives plenty of flak for his style of play, but he's also performing better than ever before. 

Westbrook, sporting a career-high usage rate, entered Sunday averaging personal highs in a number of categories, including field-goal percentage (47.2) and 3-point percentage (33.3). He's also averaging 7.2 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals, while posting career-best numbers in the following areas:

Westbrook is filling up the stat sheet like few others can. 

The Thunder already trail the Portland Trail Blazers by nine games in the Northwest Division and are on the outside of the Western Conference playoff picture. They don't need Westbrook to change his ways, they just need him to stay healthy.