It's hard to believe a Russell Westbrook meltdown would occur in a major victory over the opposition. However, that's just what happened in a recently-televised NBA game involving the OKC Thunder against the Memphis Grizzlies.
As reported by CBS Sports on Jan. 1, there was a heated exchange between Westbrook and Thabo Sefolosha that led to a further "tantrums" by the guard. It all apparently started over a five-second violation on Westbrook, which led to criticism for the foul. At that point, the Thunder were leading by 25 points over the shorthanded Grizzlies. The Grizzlies had recently pulled a trigger on a deal which sent their top scorer, Rudy Gay, to the Toronto Raptors, and were awaiting their newest acquisitions to be a part of the team.
The Westbrook meltdown included the guard furious as he took himself out of the game briefly. While seated next to assistant coach Mo Cheeks, he continued to show his frustration, eventually getting up and hitting his chair backwards. He walked back to the locker room and was followed by Cheeks. Later on, sideline reporter Craig Sager reported that tensions had subsided and Cheeks said everything was fine.
Westbrook led the team in rebounds and assists during the win. He currently ranks as seventh overall in the NBA in scoring. This latest game featuring the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies was seen on TV on Thursday night via TNT. Roanoke viewers were able to watch the live game on Cox Cable channel 58.
Comments