The season may not have ended the way Russell Westbrook wanted it to, missing the playoffs, but the Thunder point guard laid it all on the line for his team and was rewarded with the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Month Award for April.
More than statistics, Westbrook’s emotional, mental and physical impact on the court was mesmerizing to watch on a night-in, night-out basis. The consistency with which he attacked his craft and left everything he had out on the floor in each game was staggering, and the results followed. His leadership, ability to manage a team in flux with injuries and roster changes and his reliability every night made him crucial to the Thunder's chances each night.