It looks like a Phoenix Suns fan might have given Los Angeles Clippers star Russell Westbrook extra motivation to help disappoint the hometown crowd in their playoff game on Sunday.
The last couple of years has not been a high point in the career of future Hall-of-Famer Russell Westbrook. The nine-time All-Star’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers was disastrous and led to him being a former NBA MVP to a player that was traded, and eventually released in 2023.
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Now, with the Los Angeles Clippers, he seems motivated not just to land one last massive contract in the summer, but to prove to himself he is still an elite-level player in the league. He did that in the team’s Game 1 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
Russell Westbrook stats (’22-’23): 15.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 7.5 ASP, 1.0 SPG, 31% 3PT
Despite a rough shooting night, Russell Westbrook nearly landed himself a playoff triple-double and made several impact plays on defense late in their win this weekend. However, the firey demeanor he showed late in the game against the Suns might have been a continuation of a heated clash he had with a fan during halftime.
Following the game, a video made the rounds on social media that show Westbrook needing to be separated from a Phoenix Suns fan as he confronted him over some issue that clearly irritated the NBA star. The guard can be heard yelling, “Watch your mouth mother f*****, watch your mouth,” with other fans — including children — nearby. The video can be seen below.
The fan surprisingly did not back down, and other bystanders can be overheard egging Westbrook on and to not “talk about it, be about it.” It is unclear at this time if the NBA or the Los Angeles Clippers intend to levy a punishment against the player in the coming days.
This is the second time this season that Russell Westbrook has gotten into a verbal clash with an NBA fan during a game. He took issue with an opinion after a Lakers loss in October as well.
Game 2 of Clippers versus Suns takes place on Tuesday night at 10 PM ET on TNT.