Russell Westbrook is not having a good week or a good year. His Washington Wizards are now 3-12 on the season, giving them the worst record in the NBA, and he is shooting under 40 percent off the floor for the first time since his rookie season. The frustration resulting from the failure took its toll on Washington’s stars, but unlike Bradley Beal, who is often caught looking sloppy or otherwise disappointed, Westbrook has found more active ways to vent his anger.
On Friday, it took the form of an expulsion. Westbrook suffered his first technical offense in the second quarter when he and Rajon Rondo were both charged after an altercation. In the fourth quarter, Westbrook pushed Rondo down and quickly got his second technical foul. He was sent off from there, with Rondo waving off the free-throw farewell when Westbrook left the game.
Rondo is known for this kind of chippiness, and even started a fight with Chris Paul and the Houston Rockets two seasons ago. But Westbrook just got two scratches this week. Westbrook met his former team, the Houston Rockets, for the first time on Tuesday. He and the player he traded for, John Wall, got a heated argument on the floor and were also asked for double techniques.
Westbrook has dealt with personal frustrations before, and he has always been known as someone who carries his emotions up his sleeve, but this situation is new to him. Westbrook has reached the season every season since his rookie year and has regularly competed for the championship with the Thunder and Rockets. Now he plays for the worst team in the NBA, and he was a big part of their loss. He does not adapt well to the new circumstances, and this helped the Falcons to achieve a comfortable victory over the Wizards.