Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant were teammates with the Thunder for eight seasons. Heading into the Clippers’ first round series against Durant and the Suns, Westbrook addressed the notion that they have a strained relationship, suggesting that’s a false assumption, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
“I think people still think like there’s some beef or something. There’s no beef of any [kind], so I think that’s the good narrative for media, for people to talk about,” Westbrook said. “But there’s no beef. I got nothing but respect for him and things he’s done with his career and having to see him back from injury. There’s no beef at all. But he knows I’m going to compete and I know he’s going to compete and that’s all it is.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- On a similar topic, Clippers guard Bones Hyland said he has no issues with teammate Mason Plumlee in the aftermath of their dustup on Sunday, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times writes. “Me and him talked on the plane. It’s nothing. It’s quashed,” Hyland said. “People create their own narratives of what’s going on, but me and Mason know what’s going on, the team knows what’s going on. We deaded it literally in Phoenix. It’s nothing to worry about. We’re focused on Phoenix right now and trying to win the series.”
- Durant played 41 minutes against Denver last week and says he expects to log a similar workload throughout the playoffs, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “Forty is the number I love,” the Suns‘ star said. “I like hovering around that number.”
- In a wide-ranging interview with Andscape’s Marc Spears, Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said the blockbuster trade with Indiana last season involving Tyrese Haliburton and Domantas Sabonis worked to the benefit of both organizations. “If we didn’t have Tyrese, we couldn’t have gotten Domantas. It ended up being a win-win trade for everybody,” he said. “It’s one of those rare trades where it created three All-Stars. And so, Tyrese was an All-Star. De’Aaron (Fox) an All-Star. Domas an All-Star. So, it took a lot of courage on the part of my front office to pull the trigger and make that trade, but I applauded them for doing that.”
Westbrook said, There’s no beef of any [kind] with Durant.
He means “pork, lamb, turkey or chicken” ?
Westbrook did have a beef with Ham.
I am a clippers fan but I know they aren’t winning the west and this time it won’t hurt Bc it also means the dumb annoying Russ Stan’s lose as well! And that he’s one step closer to being a starting point guard for the Shanghai sharks
Why do you root for him to fail? Pretty sad.
Nothing really against Him personally ! His fans are the worst and most delusional fans of any one player in all of sports ! Mayb3 you have to go to wrastling and John cena fans to find people who believe such ridiculous and un realistic nonsense about their guy! He’s a clipper so if Russ gets a ring my team does but if he never wins a ring I don’t think anyone has the right to think it’s tragic or a shame! He wouldn’t even be close to a top 10 player never to win a ring
If he were one of the top 500 players to never win a ring he still would be a success.
Former mvp first ballot hall of famer and top 75 player of all time for sure ! I’m just not concerned if he goes ring less
Umm John Cena is a pretty damn good person number 1 on the make a wish foundation
Brother what website are you on wear Westbrook has people lined up to defend him. Because it’s not here lol
If I had a dollar for every time an athlete said “the narrative”, I would have more than enough money to outbid anyone for the Washington Commanders.
Clippers vs Suns should be an exciting series. Suns better come to play. This probably will push Suns. To just run thru the West .