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As a die-hard Washington Wizards fan myself, our first year with the Russell Westbrook experience has been one wild ride.
The interesting stories you hear about him and his behind-the-scenes effect on the Wizards locker room have been eye-opening to say the least. But one thing's for sure – you can't question Russell Westbrook's passion for the game.
In yet another testament to his insane level of dedication to his craft, Wizards coach Scott Brooks revealed a ‘shouting fight' he got into with Westbrook this year. The reason? He wanted to average one extra minute per game.
Scott Brooks is spending this postgame session rattling off Russell Westbrook stories and just said he and Westbrook got into a shouting fight for 20 minutes bc Russ was averaging 34 minutes a game and he wanted to average 35.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) May 21, 2021
Given the fact the Russell Westbrook ended the season averaging 36.4 minutes per contest, I'd say we know who won that argument in the end. The Wizards have needed every minute that could have gotten from Russ, too. Washington struggled out of the gate this season, and once found themselves with the fifth best NBA Draft lottery odds at one point. Bradley Beal trade rumors were swirling as they continued to spiral down to the bottom of the standings.
But then, Russell Westbrook came alive. The Brodie went on a torrid stretch, posting video game-like numbers which translated to success on the basketball court for his Wizards team.
Washington needs him to channel that same energy, as they take on the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Sixers may be heavy favorites in that matchup, but don't tell that to Russell Westbrook. He'll be the first to tell you the Wizards are winning this thing.
The Wizards coach feels like the Wizards have as good a shot as the Sixers do to win, specifically because of their sock game, per The Athletic's Fred Katz.
Scott Brooks on the 76ers: “They put their socks on one sock at a time, just like us — unless they’re doing something tricky, putting two socks on, but I don’t think so.”
