NBA TV
Press Conference Escalated – Russell Westbrook Goes Off On Reporter
Just like in games 1-3, the Oklahoma City Thunder again struggeled once Russell Westbrook took a breather on the bench in game 4.
During the postgame press conference with Russell Westbrook and Steven Adams being up on the podium, a reporter was curious if the players were aware of their ‘sans Russell’ struggles, or if there was a reason behind it, asking Adams about the bench’s struggles.
But Russell Westbrook immediately interjected the question and, obviously frustrated, went off on the reporter.
“Hold on, Steven. I don’t want nobody to try to split us up. We all one team. Regardless if I go to the bench, if Steven is on the floor, if I’m off the floor, we in this together. Don’t split us up. Don’t try to split us up, make us go against each other. Try and make it against Russell and the rest of the guys. Russell against Houston. I don’t want to hear that. We’re in this together. We’re playing as a team, and that’s all that matters. That’s it.”
The reporter then explained that he didn’t try to split up the team, and that he asked Steven Adams a legitimate question, but Westbrook waived him off and repeatedley said: ‘Next question’…
Then the reporter fired back, refusing to give the microphone away until his question had been asnwered. But Adams ended the verbal fight between Russ and the reporter by shaking his head when given the chance to respond to the question.
