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.

Author:
Dan Gartland
Publish date:
Dec 20, 2019

Maybe get your eyes checked instead

Rockets' Russell Westbrook asks for rim to be checked vs Clippers — 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.”

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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