Russell Westbrook Avoids Suspension for Game 5
The Oklahoma City Thunder are down 3-1 to the Utah Jazz in their first-round playoff series, but the Thunder avoided an even bigger hole for Wednesday's Game 5.
Russell Westbrook was fined $10,000 and given a postgame technical foul for initiating a confrontation with Jazz center Rudy Gobert on Monday, the NBA announced Tuesday.
Andy Larsen of KSL.com reported earlier the league was reviewing the play from the fourth quarter of Monday's Game 4 to determine if Westbrook left the bench area to get involved in an altercation, which could have led to a one-game suspension.
The incident occurred with seven minutes and 55 seconds remaining in the game, when Westbrook and Steven Adams were waiting to check into the game. Thunder guard Raymond Felton was called for a foul on Gobert and Gobert went to the ground holding his groin after the contact.
When Gobert got up, he walked past Felton and said something to him. As Gobert and Felton were exchanging words, Gobert found himself face-to-face with Westbrook on the court.
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According to Larsen, the NBA would not comment on the play when asked about it by a pool reporter because it is under review by the disciplinary committee.
Dan Feldman of NBC Sports notes that Adams was also at the scorer's table but did not end up on the court.
When asked about the incident by reporters Tuesday, Westbrook explained he heard the horn indicating he could enter the game before he walked onto the court.
Westbrook is averaging 21.3 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists while shooting 36.7 percent for the series.
