Not everyone has their best day every day. And when things go south, taking criticism-constructive or not-isn’t always easy. But no matter the situation, respect should always be in play. It looks like Russell Westbrook may have forgotten that simple rule.
Dealing with backlash after a rough game is no walk in the park. Someone has to keep their cool, but a video surfaced showing Westbrook in a heated exchange with a fan. It’s still unclear what was said that set him off, but the interaction was far from friendly.
A tense walk to the locker room
Westbrook may not have immediately heard the voices of support after the Nuggets lost. As he made his way to the locker room, a fan caught his attention, prompting him to stop and respond. It’s not the first time the point guard has had words with a spectator, and given his history, it likely won’t be the last.
Russell could now face some sort of repercussion given his history, but as long as incidents like this keep getting brushed aside, they’ll keep happening. At the same time, fans need to read the room and understand that everything on the court is part of the game. Emotions run high, and for Westbrook, this just wasn’t his night-so much so that he refused to speak to the media after the game.
Denver fans were quick to blame him for throwing away Jokic’s incredible 61-point performance, but Jokic himself took the high road, reminding everyone that wins and losses are a team effort, not just one player’s burden. At the end of the day, it’s a reminder that keeping a cool head and avoiding rash decisions is always key.
A disastrous final sequence
Westbrook did have a nightmare ending to a double-overtime thriller night. In the final 17 seconds, he made what could have been a game-winning steal, but instead of pulling back, he rushed a wild layup attempt. He missed. To make matters worse, he then committed a costly foul on a three-point attempt with just 0.1 seconds left.
The sequence was absolute madness. Unfortunately for Westbrook and the Nuggets, it was a disaster in their favor, handing the Minnesota Timberwolves a win. The internet exploded. Fans couldn’t believe what they had just seen, though, at the same time, some weren’t entirely shocked.
