Russell. Westbrook. On a night where the Washington Wizards point guard made history, the brodie came up huge for a game-saving swat in overtime for a crucial win against the Indiana Pacers.
Check out the epic rejection below:
BRODIE BLOCKS IT FOR THE WIN! pic.twitter.com/fOSa6eh30Q
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 9, 2021
The win had major implications on the standings, as the two teams were separated by just half a game entering the contest. With the victory, the Wizards leapfrog the Pacers for the ninth seed to hold home-court advantage for the play-in game.
This truly was a night to remember for Russell Westbrook, who tied Oscar Robertson for the most triple-doubles in NBA history with 181 for his career. The Wizards guard put up an absolutely crooked line of 33 points, 19 rebounds, and 15 assists to go along with his game-saving block.
Article Continues BelowHis overtime heroics were needed as Bradley Beal ended up sitting out the overtime period due to a hamstring tweak. But they probably wouldn't have even gotten there without him, after he dropped 50 points in regulation. They needed every single one of those points, too. The Wizards stared down a double-digit lead halfway into the final frame and looked to be in dire straights against the Pacers.
But Beal went into takeover mode, flexing his scoring prowess in the process.
44 points now for Brad. 3️⃣#WizPacers | @RealDealBeal23 pic.twitter.com/HdwjVsWty4
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 9, 2021
48. 🐼🐼🐼🐼🐼🐼🐼🐼 pic.twitter.com/MbXko6lc2U
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 9, 2021
The Washington Wizards have won 13 of their last 16 games, with the deficit in the three losses coming at a combined five points. The play-in tournament was made for teams like them, who've turned themselves into a juggernaut of a ninth seed.