The Oklahoma City Thunder were eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday night with a 105-99 loss to the Houston Rockets. The end was fitting, however. Russell Westbrook still dominated with 47 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists but remained his erratic self. On 15-34 shooting and 5-18 from behind the arc, it is hard to say that Russell Westbrook is a model of efficiency. There has been plenty of dialogue about Westbrook’s teammates and if he needs a better supporting cast, but Russ does not appear to be that type of player.
In an article from ESPN’s Royce Young, he reiterates that Westbrook is not one to complain. A source close to Young says that Westbrook has never complained about teammates and prefers to stay out of front office’s way. Westbrook is said to be very happy with his teammates and the direction of the franchise. This sentiment can be backed up by an interaction with a reporter following Game 4.
In a postgame press conference after a 113-109 loss to the Houston Rockets that put the Thunder in a 3-1 hole, Westbrook defended his teammates. When Westbrook sat in that game, the Rockets went on a 13-4 run that ultimately decided the outcome. The Thunder were unable to recover in Westbrook’s absence, prompting a question to Adams about the issue. From the Associated Press:
“Hold on, Steven,” Westbrook said. “I don’t want nobody to try and split us up. We’re all one team. If I go to the bench and Steven’s on the floor and I’m off the floor, we’re in this together. Don’t split us up. Don’t try to split us up. Don’t try to make us go against each other or make it Russell and the rest of the guys. Russell against Houston. I don’t want to hear that. We’re in this together. We play as a team. That’s all that matters.”
A very noble thing to do for Westbrook, especially given how young the roster is. Squashing any rumors of his displeasure is going to be a tall task, especially with Russ due for an extension. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, Westbrook is eligible for a five-year $220 million deal. The Thunder will undoubtedly offer him the contract, but it takes two to tango. Every indication says that he will remain with Oklahoma City but according to NewsOK’s Ryan Aber Westbrook is not talking about the extension.
“I haven’t thought about anything,” Westbrook said Wednesday. “Obviously, everybody knows that I like Oklahoma City and I love being here. I love everybody here. But I haven’t even thought about that. I’m worried about making sure my wife was all right, so everything else really doesn’t matter at this point.” Westbrook and his wife are expecting their first child.
As the world anxiously awaits the MVP decision, the Thunder can hang their heads high after the season they put together. Losing Kevin Durant would be a death sentence for nearly any other team. But the Thunder are not any other team. They have a growling, ferocious, and historic flash of lighting in Russell Westbrook.
