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When Oklahoma City Thunder star forward Paul George was first left off the initial 2018 NBA All-Star Game roster, his superstar teammate in point guard Russell Westbrook was clearly not happy about it. Westbrook also did not seem too thrilled about “guys complaining about getting snubbed” and many people thought he was taking a shot at Portland Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard.
However, according to an article written by Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, the so-called “beef” between Westbrook and Lillard never was a thing in the first place. What was the first thing the two All-Star point guards did when they crossed paths in the same locker room during All-Star Game weekend in Los Angeles?
Article Continues Below“We walked up to each other and we literally laughed about it,” Lillard said on Friday. “He was the first guy I saw. As soon as he came in, we made eye contact, we both laughed. He was like, ‘Man, you know we're better than that.' I said, ‘I know.' I said, ‘But you know I take exception to everything.' We literally laughed about it.”
Back in January, Lillard said to Chris Haynes of ESPN that he was frustrated about not making the All-Star Game in 2016 and 2017.
In this case, people seemed to jump to conclusions in what Westbrook said. Lillard doesn't think the Thunder star guard was directly referring to him, anyway.
“I don't feel like I ever complained about not making it, I just said I should make it,” Lillard said. “I figured he could have been talking about somebody else. But I think because everybody always goes to what I say, they were automatically going to say it was me. I said it was disappointing because I know that there is a level of respect between me and him.”
The real simply recognize the real when it comes to Westbrook and Lillard. The two will duel it out tonight at Moda Center when the Blazers host the Thunder, with Portland looking for its sixth consecutive victory.
