[BrentSuriaga01Participant]

This is an article from Yahoo! (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/russell-westbrook-leaves-thunder-bench-anger-blowout-win-052151162–nba.html)

Just wanna share! Lol should’ve kept Harden instead of this sensitive child.

Russell Westbrook leaves Thunder bench in anger in blowout win (VIDEO)
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By Eric Freeman
Posts .By Eric Freeman | Ball Don’t Lie

.Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook can be a volatile, frustrating player despite his considerable abilities. He’s one of the best backcourt scorers in the league, but sometimes focuses on his own scoring too much. He’s an essential part of what the Thunder do, but also the sort of personality that demands a specialized method of coaching. At this point in his career, these contradictions and complications are fairly well established

Nevertheless, Westbrook is still capable of acting out in ways that make people ask why he can’t be more like his more widely beloved teammate Kevin Durant. On Thursday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, Westbrook had one of those moments. With just under nine minutes left in the third quarter and the Thunder up 65-40, Westbrook was whistled for a five-second backdown violation (aka the Mark Jackson rule). Immediately after the call, he began to yell at teammate Thabo Sefolosha, who cut through the lane during Westbrook’s post-up and brought a second defender into the area. Westbrook couldn’t move into the lane as he wanted, and he blamed Sefolosha for it.

Roughly a minute later, OKC head coach Scott Brooks subbed out Westbrook, presumably because he wasn’t happy with his attitude. Assistant coach Maurice Cheeks attempted to calm down Westbrook on the bench, but he was ineffective. So a very angry Westbrook stormed off and headed back into the locker room for several minutes. He returned in a better mood (and with a towel on his head), and the Thunder went on to win by the comfortable score of 106-89. Westbrook was a major reason for that margin of victory — he finished with 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting, nine rebounds, and six assists

There was initially some confusion as to why Westbrook acted out. Royce Young of Daily Thunder accurately noted that Westbrook was upset with Sefolosha, but Craig Sager of TNT initially reported that Westbrook and Durant were in a feud. Thankfully, Sager corrected that information with three minutes left in the game.

It is hard to excuse Westbrook’s actions, because he yelled at a teammate over a lost possession when the Thunder were up 25 points. That sort of behavior is quite emphatically not what coaches like to see from their All-NBA players — those guys are typically expected to be leaders who galvanize the rest of the roster and enhance team cohesion.

On the other hand, Westbrook has proven that he will follow up every one of these dust-ups with the sort of electric play that makes the Thunder one of the NBA’s handful of serious title contenders. While Westbrook’s outbursts are bad, they’re also temporary and don’t get in the way of the brilliance that makes him a necessary part of OKC’s long-term plans. Sure, he could be more brilliant, but it’s not as if his least professional actions are stopping him from being an All-NBA-level player. He’s really great anyway.

I suppose it can be argued that Westbrook’s immaturity will eventually become untenable, but he’s done enough dumb things in his career that it’s hard to imagine his relationship with his teammates and coaches becoming impossible. Because, while Westbrook can let his emotions get the better of him, he’s also startlingly effective as a basketball player. That’s a sort of maturity, as well, even if it’s not the emotional type.

In short, the qualities that make Westbrook yell at a teammate and get upset on the bench are bad, but they aren’t keeping him from incandescent superstardom. He’s able to be both kinds of player at the same time, and the sooner we all acknowledge that the more we’ll be able to appreciate how great he is

[B EazyParticipant]

Just because Westbrook is “sensitive” as you say doesn’t mean they should have kept Harden over him. That’s what makes him special and that’s part of the reason why they are still winning without Harden. The man has fire….more players need should take after Westbrook. ENOUGH with the Westbrook hating!

[sixersman111Participant]

First off Westbrook is better harden. Not saying that harden is bad just saying that westbrook is overall better basketball player which is why they kept him over harden. But really is this a surprise anymore the dude get’s very emotional which could be a good or bad thing depending on the night. Tonight was definitely a bad night but they got the win. They should really try to get him in anger management.

On a side note does anyone know if gets really angry at other shit in every day life or if its just a basketball thing? because my friend acts the same way when we play ball but is fine everything else.

[EntropyParticipant]

I don’t think you can blame anyone in this situation unless you know who and what was said. We don’t know the whole story.

[CynthiaParticipant]

Well he is still only 24, the NBA is a lot of pressure for a young person especially one that’s a star and is looked through in the microscope. How would you like to rarely see your family & friends for weeks/months at a time? Especially in this case coming after a very long and not so good road trip.

Yes the outbreak was a bit out of proportion, but also as Entropy said we don’t really know what was said either, but I think players are allowed to vent once in awhile just like anyone else.

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

Making 13 million dollars playing the game I love would ease the pain of not seeing my family

[M.GarveyParticipant]

Sometimes the rage you use to step on your opponents neck can overtake you. I wouldnt read too much into this, OKC has the environment to check him when throws a tantrum.

[XYRYXParticipant]

” At this point in his career, these contradictions and complications are fairly well established.”

“I suppose it can be argued that Westbrook’s immaturity will eventually become untenable, but he’s done enough dumb things in his career that it’s hard to imagine his relationship with his teammates and coaches becoming impossible.”

I have not seen this particular scene and don’t know if Someone was to blame in this scene. But U know I rather have RW on the court who wants to demonstrate how much of a blowout he can do to the Grizzlys than someone who doesn’t care and is just ballin around. If Brooks wants Westbrook on the court with a 25 point lead he wants Russ to dominate.
We all know he is emotional but he also has a giant desire to win and plays with a ton of anger.

But as far as I know Russ has always been very coachable and never had any issues with his teammates aside from on court related actions.

He is immature for sure in situations like this but can you name me some of this well documented altercations to prove this statements? I can’t.

Give me a player like him any day of the week. And Brooks always said that Russ has to cut down on his turnovers. If you follow the Thunder you will see that Brooks pulls him out if he tends to loose control. Brooks for sure didn’t like it but I’m sure he loves the way Russ uses his emotinions as a catalyst for competing hard – every second.

Let’s not act like he is on a Cousins level if the world is not moving around him let alone that is a locker room problem.

[joecheck88Participant]

I’ve never agreed with anyone that said they should have kept Harden over Westbrook. I honestly don’t think we will ever know the right answer to that. I think Westbrook hurts this team at times but more often then not(a lot more often than not) he helps this team win. I think he has a volatile attitude at times but this team needs a bit of that attitude and edge to it. I think Harden is a fantastic player but his temperament is too similar to Durant. I think Westbrook is a great fit in OKC. We always put him under the microscope but we never speak about the great things he does not does the media. He’s a star player in this league but gets treated as lower class because Durant is on the same team. He isn’t in the easiest spot in the world and we should give him credit more often than we do.

[Sotos14Participant]

Brooks should have grown some balls and kept Westbrook on the bench after he returned. Westbrook is a great talent and one of my favorite players to watch, but that was inexcusable and should be taught a lesson. Even if Thabo made a mistake, he was left wide open and Westbrook should have hit him with the pass.

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

[XYRYXParticipant]

Now where I saw it I have to say Russel acted like a child and this was very idiotic BUT Rodman, Barkley, Malone and others did things like that multiple times and all what happened was they came out even stronger.

I stopped watching Skip and Kenny after 3:33 mins where Kenny said they won’t win a title because of THAT.
ESPN is a joke and if you believe that a situation like this is killing this years run for the title you need to find another job and this is way out of proportion.

Russ needs to grow up on situations like that but some day people will realise that the Thunder are winning because of Westbrook beeing Westbrook not despite of him beeing agressive and playing with anger.

Skip Bayless and Kenny Smith need to get a live.

[SiggyParticipant]

Him throwing a fit when someone confronts him about making the right play could be something that prevents them from winning a chip. Thabo was right, Westbrook was wrong, but if a player cannot be confronted or approached about making the right play, then what results is a bunch of teammates and coaches walking on eggshells, trying to avoid confrontation and just accepting his dumb mistakes. Instead of acknowledging he was wrong, he goes and acts like a petulant child. That cannot be good for team chemistry. He has to know when he is wrong, accept it and learn from it, instead of fighting it and acting like a spoiled brat towards his teammates.
Westbrook needs to grow up and quit making dumb mistakes, or at least acknowledge when he makes dumb mistakes so that he won’t make them in the future.

[aarondsonixfanParticipant]

ummm that’s not kenny smith, that’s stephen a smith….

[McDunkin]

if that’s what ya say bruh.

[McDunkin]

TNT’s production team is hilarious the way they had that clip of him furious while he was saying it was "just a little miscommunication" and him flipping over that chair and leaving the bench when he said he controlled his temper "like a man".

 

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

Wow, I didn’t like how Russell responded in that interview at all. He acted and dressed like a 12 year old kid.

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

I’m curious what the TNT guys in the studio were saying about this while watching the uncalled for anger out burst and then this interview. Thabo Sefolosha must feel like he is walking on egg shell around Russell in the locker room and practice. He made a mistake on the play while you were posting up, but Russell makes mistakes all the time as the team pg, we don’t see the team lashing out on him over it.

[King CaluchaParticipant]

I couldn’t agree more. He misses the open man too often.

[SiggyParticipant]

[McDunkin]

it was mostly jokes about his shirt from what i remember.

Chuck said something like he got dressed in the dark that morning so he didnt see how that shirt looked and said the flip out was due to him remembering that he would have to wear it during post game interviews when he saw at during halftime.

[BenchWarmerParticipant]

:O russell westbrook is a bit of a hot head! No way haha

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

Westbrook to me is the best PG in the NBA, that’s just my opinion.

Now with that being said he needs to grow up, he needs to understand as a PG and leader of a team you cant’ act like that, and this happens on alot of occasions, for those that think Westbrook should have been traded….please stop, Harden is good, but he’s not better than Russ, Russ brings a different element to that team that no other PG in the NBA can bring(Besides D.Rose but he’s hurt).

Russ is a very very special player and each year he gets better and better, hopefully he can change his attitude, because if he doesn’t it will hurt his legacy.

He was wrong and Thabo was right, he needs to suck it up and accept it.

[BigChamp12Participant]

Nothing here. Players get into it all the tim, much worse than this. . Coaches get into it all the time. No different than everyday life. Westbrook got upset and let his emotions spill out. It was caught on camera, which made it a bigger deal than it really was. He’s not the first player to overreact and he’s definitely not the last.

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