Russell Westbrook was a major reason why the Los Angeles Clippers were able to upset the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series Sunday night.
Although he shot poorly from the field (3-for-19), Westbrook had key offensive rebounds and defensive stops in the final minutes of the Clippers’ 115-110 victory.
Westbrook was also in the middle of a heated exchange with a Suns fan at halftime.
Video surfaced after the game showing Westbrook yelling at the fan as he was returning to the court for the second half. A security guard had to intervene as Westbrook told the fan, “Watch your mouth” and punctuated it with an expletive.
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Clippers guard Russell Westbrook had nine points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a 115-110 win over the Suns in Game 1 of their playoff series.
How did the fan get close enough to Russell Westbrook?
The altercation took place in a club lounge just outside the court at Phoenix’s Footprint Center.
As the Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin explains, the lounge area can be used as a shortcut for visiting players to go from their locker room to the court.
When an emotional player like Westbrook comes that close to fans of the other team, the situation can escalate – as it did Sunday night.
Russell Westbrook’s history with fans
It wasn’t the first time Westbrook has had an altercation with an opposing team’s fan.
In the 2021 playoffs, when he was a member of the Washington Wizards, Westbrook infamously had popcorn dumped on his head as he was leaving the court in Philadelphia.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russell Westbrook drops expletive in heated exchange with Suns fan
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