Rockets-Clippers Game Paused After Russell Westbrook Claims Rim Is Crooked

In Friday’s Hot Clicks: Russell Westbrook is seeing things, Giannis Antetokounmpo can hit threes now and more.

Maybe get your eyes checked instead

Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today Sports | NBA

Last night’s Rockets-Clippers showdown endured a brief but very unusual delay at the start of the second half. 

Houston came out of the locker room and started warming up on the basket it would be shooting on in that half. That’s when Russell Westbrook thought he noticed something wrong with the hoop. The rim was crooked, he claimed and he wanted somebody to fix it. 

A guy came out with a ladder and a level to check it out. He shook his head and said, “It’s perfect,” even taking a photo of the level with his phone for proof. 

Claiming the basket is off is definitely something you could see Westbrook doing. He’s so confident in his own ability that it wouldn’t be a surprise if he blamed an off shooting night on the hoop rather than his tendency to take difficult shots. But Russ actually played better on the rim he thought was crooked. He dropped 25 of his game-high 40 points in the second half. 

“It was lopsided, at least I thought,” Westbrook told reporters after the game. “But it don’t matter.”

Russell Westbrook on his 40-point game and why he protested the rims pic.twitter.com/96QrfKoB1V

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) December 20, 2019

Westbrook was feeling kind of saucy all night. When longtime nemesis Patrick Beverley was ejected with less than three minutes to play, Russ bade him farewell with a wave as Beverley walked to the locker room. 

Patrick Beverley has been ejected. https://t.co/aRkyScieO9

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) December 20, 2019

That earned Westbrook a technical foul, but he really didn’t care. 

Reporter: “After Patrick Beverley got ejected, James Harden came over to you. Do you wish you didn’t do that?”
Rockets’ Russell Westbrook: “Why would I wish I didn’t do it?”
Reporter: “You got a technical.”
RW: “What else is new?” pic.twitter.com/GiGgzOLmKY

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) December 20, 2019

Never change, Russ. 

Giannis went OFF

The Bucks came out on top in a potential Finals preview against the Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo looked like the most dangerous player in the NBA. 

We’re used to seeing Giannis look like a monster around the rim and in transition, but last night he showed off his new three-point stroke. He hit a career-high five threes, including this one off the dribble. 

The Lakers called a timeout after that shot and Giannis made it clear that he’s the king now. 

"I wear this s*** now!"- Giannis coming for LeBron's crown 😳 pic.twitter.com/1g6qhtuLMN

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 20, 2019

Scary moment for the Thunder

Thunder players are thankfully okay after a shooting occurred while they were at a local mall for a private movie screening. One person was injured and the shooter has since turned himself in to police.

Thunder players were at a private screening of a movie today at Penn Square Mall in OKC when a shooting occurred.

Per a Thunder spokesman to @TheAthletic: “Thunder security was made aware immediately. The team was never in danger and was safe during the entirety of the event.”

— Erik Horne (@ErikkHorne) December 19, 2019

The incident led to this truly bizarre photo of Steven Adams solemnly exiting the mall after a life-or-death situation while carrying a miniature R2D2. 

Steven Adams of #okcthunder seen exiting the mall after a shooting at Penn Square Mall. 🙄🙄 pic.twitter.com/MFtWUfnCae

— amber meinke (@Xanders_momm) December 19, 2019

I though it was some kind of toy but it’s actually an enormous soda. 

They’re selling giant R2-D2 cups at AMC for $50 a piece and I’ve seen three sold in three minutes 😮 pic.twitter.com/DJJn3eGhPk

— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) December 20, 2019

The best of SI

James Wiseman’s abbreviated college career didn’t work out well for anybody. ... It’s a huge week in the NFL and the MMQB staff picked every game. ... We also have picks for all 40 college bowl games. 

Around the sports world

This is what happens when an artificial turf field runs its course. ... The Pac-12 is reportedly trying to get Apple to buy a stake in the conference. ... The Ringer has an oral history of Any Given Sunday. ... Chance the Rapper is doing the halftime show at the NBA All-Star Game in Chicago. 

Nice try, buddy

Tyler Ennis ALMOST just scored a lacrosse goal, but Dante Fabbro says HELL NO.

I swear I just said 10 minutes ago that Ennis could score a lacrosse goal with the hands he has. I say he does it this season. #Sens pic.twitter.com/dkr9h6ErHv

— Hailey Salvian (@hailey_salvian) December 20, 2019

Seton Hall blocked more shots than Maryland made in an upset of the Terps

Maryland: 14 made field goals
Seton Hall: 15 blocks (6 apiece from Obiagu and Gill)

52-48, Seton Hall over Maryland #shbb

— Big East Time (@BigEastTimeRTT) December 20, 2019

Chuck’s Harden impression

What does Chuck think of Harden’s game: 😂 pic.twitter.com/sfXm9oKldD

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 20, 2019

But can we talk about his shorts?

Adam Sandler tossing DIMES in a pickup game 😲

(via @SenseiSigh)pic.twitter.com/yhCEphf1pm

— SI Media (@SISportsMedia) December 20, 2019

That’s too many ads

There are 37 different ads on the ice in this arena in Brno. pic.twitter.com/pwYnCU2WKp

— Gord Miller 🇺🇦 (@GMillerTSN) December 19, 2019

Not sports

Drew Magary’s annual must-read Hater’s Guide to the Williams-Sonoma Catalog is up at Vice. ... HA guy in England inadvertently ordered an inflatable Santa as big as his house. ... This post arguing that movies should be 97 minutes long convinced me. ... A Denver man’s doorbell camera spotted somebody pooping on his porch multiple times over the course of several hours. ... Somebody attacked the headquarters of Russia’s FSB with an automatic rifle. 

How’d they get inside my apartment?

I think this porcupine is trying to carry a conversation

Nearly 1,400 pounds of ecstasy discovered in Australian barbecues

A good song

Email dan.gartland@simail.com with any feedback or follow me on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request I’ve made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.