Russell Westbrook didn’t have his shot going against the Boston Celtics. The difference between the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard and so many other superstars, though, is that Westbrook can still dominate despite not playing his best.
The MVP had 36 points, five rebounds, 10 assists, and five steals during his team’s crucial 122-118 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, becoming the first player to reach those thresholds in over 10 years – and just second since the new millennium. Westbrook shot just 8-of-26 from the field, but made up for it by knocking down 19 of his 22 tries from the charity stripe and playing his typical brand of all-around basketball.
That’s not to say Russ wasn’t frustrated by his lack of shooting accuracy, of course, and he let everyone watching know the extent of his irritation on this rim-rattling and nearly camera-breaking dunk in the late third quarter.
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To be fair, the overhead camera experienced similar glitches throughout the contest. Is it a coincidence it happened again as Westbrook nearly tore down the rim, though? No way.
Following last night’s win, the short-handed Thunder lead the New Orleans Pelicans by half a game for eighth-place in the West. Boston, meanwhile, is mere percentage points ahead of the Indiana Pacers for eighth-place out East.
[Streamable via r/nba]
