Westbrook becoming The Man in OKC

— -- It just can't work.

Not with these two very different, very gifted young men, both 26 -- and just one basketball. Not when the reigning MVP might soon feel pressure to defer to his exploding costar so he can win MVP.

There's never been anything quite like this in NBA history. But then, there's never been anything quite like Russell Westbrook. At just 6-feet-3 and maybe 190 pounds, he has been triple-double-terrorizing opponents ... while Kevin Durant claps from the bench, recovering from a second surgical procedure to fix his foot. Imagine the reigning MVP's elation --- and deflation -- as he watches Westbrook dominate the ball and games in ways no "point guard" ever has. For KD, is RW a championship dream or a worst nightmare?

After talking to several sources familiar with the Thunder, I'm leaning toward the latter. This town -- my hometown of Oklahoma City -- just isn't big enough for the both of 'em.

Not now. Not after Westbrook won All-Star Game MVP, then rocket-launched himself into this season's MVP race with one of the most astounding tears in NBA history -- five triple-doubles in his past seven games.

All without Durant, who has missed the past 10 games.

I'm actually starting to feel sorry for Kevin Durant. The NBA's most gifted scorer -- so 6-9 long and lethal inside and out -- now finds himself in an increasingly sticky spot. He loves "Russ" as a buddy and locker room teammate but doesn't always like his point guard's tunnel-visioned, coach-defying decision-making.

Now Russell Westbrook has the NBA's greenest light. He's on pace to break Kobe Bryant's 2005-06-record usage rate of 38.7 percent (Westbrook is at 38.0 and climbing). He's leading the league in scoring (27.3 a game) and in shot attempts (21.2). He leads all guards in rebounding (7.1). He's averaging a career high in assists (8.3), but you can make a case he's looking more to feed his big guys ( Serge Ibaka and newly added Enes Kanter) in part because he has become infatuated with triple-doubles.

It's always debatable whether "Russ" plays with a relentless rage to win or to star. He constantly hurtles down the fine line between "we" and "me." From the start, it was clear he thought he was The Man in OKC. No disrespect to Durant; Westbrook thinks he's better than any and everybody. That's just how he's built. No doubt he plays with absolutely no doubt.

But unfortunately for KD, RW gets to decide nearly every possession whether he or KD or someone else gets to shoot. So you can imagine how KD has occasionally wondered if he's playing with a what's-the-point guard.

Russell Westbrook just might play with less conscience than any player ever. As understandably and successfully selfish as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant were in their primes, both were bright men who always had perspective (immediate and historical) on what was happening around them and were highly capable of sharing their insight during interviews. Westbrook plays in his own world, without memory or bigger picture. If he has insights to share, it isn't often with the media.

Think it ate at "Russ" that he has had nine and then a career-high 10 turnovers in his past two games? Instantly forgotten.

Sometimes you look in Westbrook's eyes and wonder if anyone's home in there other than a terminator -- a dead-eyed cyborg of an assassin sent from another world to seek and destroy on our basketball courts. Sometimes he's fearless to the point of seeming not to be human.

Westbrook recently had surgery on a fractured cheekbone. He missed one game, returning in a mask and headband that made him look even cyborg-scarier -- and less human.

As one source said, "It's like he's bipolar." Not in a clinical sense. In a basketball way. He can be such a nice, simple guy doing charity work around OKC, then, at tipoff, he goes into his own world and just attacks every possession as if it's his first and last. Nobody in the NBA plays harder every dribble every night.

For Westbrook's first couple of NBA seasons, the world outside OKC knew him more for his eye-jarring, plaids-on-stripes ensembles. But in hindsight, his sartorial pastels screamed two messages: LOOK AT ME, and I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE THINKS ABOUT WHAT I'M WEARING.

Or now, HOW MANY TIMES I SHOOT.

Without Durant, Westbrook has become a monster fully created, a beast completely unleashed.

Now, consider the far more fragile psyche of Westbrook's costar. Durant is definitely human. Durant sees and feels, sometimes to a fault. He has perspective and conscience. He has been an outspoken believer in God and a powerful role model. But occasionally, he stumbles and struggles. He fights doubts.

He dropped some curse words in a recent GQ interview. He was in a foul mood on All-Star Weekend and blasted the basketball knowledge of media members who voted him MVP and who had considered him one of the NBA's best and most accessible interviews. He battles an identity crisis of being "not nice" KD and "strong and kind" KD. He has occasionally let people take advantage of him, even some close to him.

Now he's having to deal with the kind of dreaded foot injury that can derail a big guy's career.

And he sees "Russ" taking over the team and town.

Now the mood among Thunder fans is that Westbrook might be more committed long term to Oklahoma City than Durant. Now, more than ever, general manager Sam Presti is in awe of Westbrook's player efficiency rating (he's second to Anthony Davis) and his still untapped potential. Now Westbrook pretty much coaches himself, sometimes ignoring plays called by Scott Brooks, who coaches from a hot seat.

Even though Durant is just a month or so older than Westbrook, the organization expects him to be more of the "big brother," the cooler head, the team spokesman who bites his lip and talks around any internal problems.

When Westbrook was hurt early in the playoffs two years ago, Durant did himself no favors. He came up small in four straight losses to Memphis. In "clutch time" (the last five minutes of fourth quarters and overtime when the game is within six points), he scored a combined eight points in those four losses on 3-17 field goals while going 0-3 from 3 and 2-5 on free throws.

He lost a little respect among fans and maybe teammates and possibly helped inspire a headline during last year's playoff series against Memphis. A headline in the Oklahoman called Durant "Mr. Unreliable." The newspaper apologized for it.

Yet now the feeling is that if a big late shot is to be taken in a playoff game, Westbrook should be The Man taking it. Now, Westbrook is carrying the team without Durant. Now, it's clear the Thunder could go a little farther in the playoffs with only Westbrook than with only Durant.

All of which has led ESPN analyst (and former NBA front-office executive) Tom Penn to suggest it's more and more likely Presti will trade Durant before next year's deadline -- just as he dealt James Harden when it became clear OKC ownership wouldn't pay the luxury tax required to pay to keep him.

Penn's point: Only if Durant gives Presti a convincing early-season sense he'll commit long term to the Thunder can Presti trust hanging in with him until his contract is up. It's highly unlikely Durant will give Presti any early assurance. Not now.

It's highly likely Durant (if healthy) will have opportunities to go to the Knicks or Lakers or to his home-area Washington Wizards.

Now, if and when Durant returns, he just might find himself in more of a role of sidekick than costar, helping "Russ" roar to MVP.

But hey, maybe they'll blend and click by playoff time. Maybe this is the year they'll combine their extraordinary talents and win it all. For my hometown's sake, I'd love to see it.

But I'm sorry, I can't.

Now it's getting harder and harder to imagine Kevin Durant being happy long term in Oklahoma City.