Whatever faults he may have as a player, there's no denying that Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards lays it all on the line every single time he steps onto the court. The Los Angeles Clippers know this well.
Against the Clippers Thursday night, Westbrook's unrelenting passion proved to be the difference in the game when the point guard came rushing in to help secure a rebound for the Wizards as time expired. Like a runaway freight train, Russ is simply unstoppable when he gets going.
Check out the play which won the game for the Wizards and see for yourself, via Rob Perez:
Wizards win after Westbrook crashes glass from three-point arc and gets crucial rebound to let Beal dribble out clock (also giving him a trouble-double) pic.twitter.com/ijLbfByslO
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 5, 2021
With just seven seconds remaining in regulation, Rui Hachimura stepped to the line looking to extend a mere one-point lead for the surging Wizards. While the forward was able to convert the first free-throw attempt, he ultimately missed the second, opening the door for Los Angeles to regain possession and steal the game as time expired.
Unfortunately for the Clippers, that door was only open for a split second before Westbrook came rushing in from behind to the arc to tip the ball away from Ivica Zubac and into the hands of Wizards star Bradley Beal. Not only did the guard leap over Zubac's head in pursuit of the ball, but he bullied his way past Reggie Jackson, who the coaching staff had initially tasked with keeping Westbrook from the interior.
Needless to say, Ty Lue and company will likely have some thoughts for Jackson when the team rewatches the tape from the game's final moments against the Wizards.
As for Westbrook, while the point guard did not receive credit for the rebound because he failed to secure the ball, and in the process, lost out on a chance to earn another triple-double, he will undoubtedly savor another victory as the league's first-half comes to a close. After an abysmal start to the season, the Wizards have won seven of their past ten games and have pulled within a game and a half of the final spot in the NBA's play-in tournament.
Regardless of who might be earning the stats, Westbrook and the Wizards will hope for similar results moving forward.
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