Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook usually keeps it short when talking to the media, but he couldn't help but address his verbal spat with Atlanta Hawks guard Rajon Rondo on Friday.
In the aftermath of the Wizards' 116-100 defeat at Capital Arena, where the one-time MVP was ejected in the fourth period, Westbrook said he should have handled his emotions better.
“Ah, sh**. Honestly, it’s more on me. I cannot allow myself to stoop down to anybody’s level,” the Wizards guard said, per The Athletic's Fred Katz.
“That’s not my character, who I am…I take full responsibility for all of that although I don’t agree with the 2nd T but that’s neither here nor there”
To be fair, tempers were already expected to flare even before tip-off considering the two's rather notorious reputation for trash-talking. Russell Westbrook and Rajon Rondo pretty much jawed at each other every chance they could. The boiling point came before halftime, as both competitors were assessed with double technicals after nearly coming to blows.
The intense situation did not tone down for the rest of the Wizards-Hawks game, as Westbrook kept barking at Rondo and the officials as they were getting blown out.
Westbrook got his second technical early in the fourth, as he had to watch his Wizards teammates lose their fourth game in a row from the locker room. It's a shame considering the nine-time All-Star was having a fine game before that, tallying 26 points, six rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes.
Rondo, on the other hand, did not stuff the stat sheet like Westbrook but got the last laugh as his team took the W. He pitched in eight points, two rebounds, four assists and one steal in just 15 minutes.
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