Russell Westbrook Unbothered by Technicals: 'I'm An Emotional Guy'

Russell Westbrook certainly stuffed the stat sheet in the Rockets' 140-112 blowout victory over the Grizzlies on Wednesday. Houston's point guard tallied 33 points, nine points and eight assists at the Toyota Center, adding four steals and one technical.

The final number is more significant than one might think. Westbrook earned his league-leading 14th technical on Wednesday night, bringing him within two regular-season technicals of a one-game suspension. With 24 games left, Westbrook appears to be unconcerned with the likelihood of reaching 16 technicals before the playoffs.

"I'm going to go out and keep competing. I'm an emotional guy, play with a lot of emotion," Westbrook said postgame. "I only control what I can control, I learned that a long time ago."

Russell Westbrook on receiving his 14th technical after being called for taunting.

"I'm going to go out and keep competing. I'm an emotional guy, play with a lot of emotion. But that wasn't a technical foul." pic.twitter.com/UrHdAs1kvW
— Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) February 27, 2020

Westbrook earned his 14th technical for taunting in the second quarter, though he appeared to have a case in disputing the technical foul. The nine-time All-Star flexed at Memphis forward De'Anthony Melton following a layup, then began to walk back toward midcourt. But the gesture caught the eye of the officials, who slapped Westbrook with a quick technical before the conclusion of the first half.

The Rockets appealed Westbrook's technical on Thursday, but were denied, per the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen.

Say what you want about Russell Westbrook, but this shouldn’t have been a technical IMO pic.twitter.com/sEfib0Aktu
— Chuck (@bentlytrukchuck) February 27, 2020

So Westbrook will likely have to serve a suspension over the next six weeks. But can the Rockets be strategic about the technicals? A potential strategy is in play.

Westbrook only appears in one game in each of Houston's back-to-backs in order to manage his knee, and the Rockets have three pairs of back-to-back contests through the rest of 2019-20. Westbrook could potentially earn technical No. 16 on the first night of a back-to-back, then coincidentally serve his suspension on a night that he would rest anyway. Westbrook could also earn a suspension before the start of a back-to-back, then join James Harden and Co. for the second leg. Perhaps the league office would frown upon such chicanery, but it remains a strategy worth considering.

The stream of technicals may force Westbrook to miss a game, but the rising count is immaterial compared to the rest of Westbrook's performance over the last two months. Westbrook is playing at an MVP level of late, averaging 32.4 points and 7.4 assists since Jan. 1. If Westbrook continues to play at an All-NBA level, the Rockets have a serious shot at the Western Conference crown.