Getty Lakers guard Russell Westbrook.
Russell Westbrook was not amused with the Minnesota Timberwolves trash talk on Wednesday night as they rolled the Los Angeles Lakers 124-104.
Westbrook was the target of some specific trolling from Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who grabbed a rebound on a bad air-ball from the former MVP.
has to be one of the more disrespectful moments ive seen in a long time, watch Pat Bev and KAT after Westbrook’s airball.
“I honestly don’t pay no mind to it,” Westbrook said after the game. “Maybe the other guys [do]. But they weren’t talking to me. They were talking to individual guys particularly, but the trash talking doesn’t bother me none.
“Nobody over there has done anything in this league that would make me pick my eyes up, like, ‘Oh, they’re talking mess. Let me respond.’ No. It’s fine. They’re good. They won the game. Happy for them. Move onto the next one.”
The Timberwolves have made the playoffs just once since 2004.
Patrick Beverly Responds to Russell Westbrook
The response from Westbrook inspired a response from one of his old rivals Patrick Beverly, who is now a member of the Timberwolves.
“Playoffs every year,” Beverley wrote while retweeting Westbrook’s answer. “2 western conference finals with 2 different Teams individual stats or team stats? I thought it was a team sport??”
Westbrook finished the game with 15 points, four rebounds and five assists.
Veteran Wayne Ellington was also asked about the Timberwolves and other teams taking more potshots shots at the Lakers on the court as they sink further below .500.
Wayne Ellington on trash talking:
“I’ve been in this league long enough to realize this is a front-running league. When you’re up, everything is going great. When you’re down, they’ll kick you.”
“I’ve been in this league long enough to realize it’s is a front-running league,” Ellington said. “When you’re up, everything is going great. When you’re down, they’ll kick you. … So right now, we have been getting kicked and teams have been enjoying it. It all comes back around full circle.”
LeBron James’ Patience Being Tested as Lakers Stumble
The loss to the Timberwolves dropped the Lakers to 29-40 and the team is now fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Lakers have won just two games since the All-Star break and superstar LeBron James has looked fed up at times on the court.
“I think every season for me is all about patience,” James told reporters after the game. “And it is no different this year. I think it is just testing my patience a little bit more than any season in the last few years just because of the way we are playing and the losses are coming at a bunch.
“It’s testing your patience and how you can continue to keep the focus out on the floor, figure out ways how you can be better for your teammates and not fall into the notion of a losing mentality. … At the end of the day, I would never, ever put myself in a position where I feel like I am losing, even when I lose a game.”
James has done his part for the Lakers, willing them to their two most recent wins with 50-point efforts. He’s in a race for the scoring title with Joel Embiid, notching 29.7 points per game.