NBA fans tend to chirp at players for various reasons, whether it is to bother them because they are home team fans or just to get some attention they have never received before. The closer they are, the more likely a star can hear them and confront them about proper fan behavior during games. This is exactly what happened with Russell Westbrook. The Los Angeles Clippers were clashing against the Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges-led Charlotte Hornets and that was when a fan said triggered him, via Jeremy Grandison of ESPN.
“Don’t disrespect my name. Do you understand me? I don’t give a f****,” were the words Russell Westbrook launched at the Hornets fan.
Russell Westbrook vs a Hornets fan
“Don’t disrespect my name. Do you understand me? I don’t give a F**K”
(🎥 @JeremyGrandiso1 )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 1, 2024
It is still unclear what they said to get the Clippers star to get that mad. However, Russell Westbrook is not new to the disrespect. He has heard different variances of his name like ‘Westbrick' hurled against him. Obviously, he does not appreciate any of that slander and hopes to keep it to a minimum.
Russell Westbrook had a host of reasons for not liking these types of interactions during Clippers games. But, there was one he pointed out that stuck out which he outlined earlier in the season, via Joey Linn of Sports Illustrated.
“Understanding what Westbrook means. Understanding how important that is to my dad, my grandfather, my family… The moment that line gets crossed, I won’t allow it anymore. I stood for it for years. Now that my son is old enough to know what’s going on… Now I gotta stand on it,” he declared.
There will be a lot more instances like the Hornets fan who just really needs attention. Hopefully, the Clippers star is able to keep his composure mid-game when it happens and that the league is able to release guidelines to protect their players better.
Clippers pick apart the Hornets
The idea for this game was quite simple: leave Brandon Miller in awe of his GOAT, Paul George. It worked fairly well for the Clippers. George knocked down 14 out of his 21 field goal attempts and went perfect on his five free throw shots for 41 points. He then also dropped four assists and grabbed seven rebounds.
Other members of the Clipper squad also contributed to their 47th win of the season. Kawhi Leonard blazed up by scoring 23 points while Ivica Zubac also recorded a double-double with 24 points and 12 boards. The Clippers scoring leaders were rounded out by Norman Powell and Westbrook who combined for 27 points off the bench. All of this made the Clippers deadly on all three levels of scoring which allowed them to post a highly efficient 57.3% field goal percentage. Going 48.3% from shots taken outside the arc also gave them such a significant scoring boost.
For the Hornets, there were some people trying to keep them afloat. Brandon Miller played 40 minutes to notch 22 points while Miles Bridges saw 43 minutes of action for 33 points. The two did get some help from Vasilije Micic, Grant Williams, and Davis Bertans but the lead was just too big for them to overcome. 130 to 118 was the final score when the buzzer sounded.
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