Los Angeles Clippers point guard Russell Westbrook came up huge defensively in their 115-110 victory over the Phoenix Suns. But Westbrook’s on-court heroics in Game 1 is not why he made headlines following the win. The All-Star point guard’s emotions got the best of him when he got into a heated exchange with a fan as he headed into the locker room, which went viral.
With the Clippers already down an All-Star player in Paul George, they cannot afford to lose anyone else in these playoffs. As an important Game 2 looms, one source told Heavy’s Sean Deveney that Westbrook’s availability for the upcoming matchup is “something to worry about.”
“Yeah, that was a surprise, and it is something to worry about,” the source said to Deveney. “He was in the stands. That not only gets you knocked out for a game, it can get you two or three games. I don’t know how much it will matter that he did not go overboard and there was nothing physical. But now you’ve got to worry about a suspension.”
Chris Paul Sounds off on Russell Westbrook
Despite being the defensive hero in Game 1, Westbrook had an abysmal night from the field as he shot just 3/19. It is just the former NBA MVP’s latest showing of how much he can impact the game in multiple areas.
After spending the first half of the year with the Los Angeles Lakers, Westbrook was traded, and so far, he has fit in nicely with this Clippers squad. Suns’ guard Chris Paul is well aware of the dangers of sleeping on a player of Westbrook’s caliber.
“I’m really close with Russell (Westbrook). Probably one of his biggest fans, just because of the energy that he brings. Everybody wants to talk all that foolishness, but there’s a lot of people who don’t love to play the game like him,” Paul said of Westbrook to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic.
“What he brought to that team; they’ve got some really good players. But guys who sort of keep to themselves. So, Russ, coming in there was just a burst of energy and I think he gave them guys a lot of confidence.”
“Everybody want to talk all that foolishness, but there’s a lot of people who don’t love to play the game like him.”
Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard Matchup Has High Stakes
The Clippers and Suns have loads of talent on their respective squads. As a result, the first-round series will have a lot of storylines and entertaining matchups to watch. But the marquee matchup, perhaps of the entire first round, is Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard.
Durant and Leonard have not met in the playoffs since the 2019 NBA Finals, where Durant infamously ruptured his Achilles while with the Golden State Warriors. Now both two-time NBA Finals MVPs have retooled with new squads, again eyeing championship gold. NBA insider Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report notes that the stakes are higher than most realize for the two future Hall of Famers.
“The meeting of two superstar forwards with a pair of titles and Finals MVPs each will be incredibly entertaining to watch. It also means one won’t make it out of the first round, with both suffering this early of an exit just three total times in 20 combined playoff trips,” Swartz writes.
“Leonard will need to win the individual battle for the Clippers to have a chance here, whereas Durant will face far fewer double teams with Booker and Ayton by his side.”
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Clippers’ Star Russell Westbrook in Hot Water After Postgame Altercation