Russell Westbrook Makes His Frustration Clear Over Late Coach’s Challenge Just Before DeMar DeRozan’s Free Throws

The timing was unusual because challenges are rarely allowed once the free-throw process has essentially started. Westbrook, standing nearby, reacted almost immediately, clearly irritated by the late stoppage and making his feelings known to officials.

The moment didn’t derail his stat line, though. Westbrook still posted a tidy triple-double (12 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists), marking the 209th of his career. DeRozan, meanwhile, paced Sacramento with 27 points as the Kings improved to 17-51. The night also brought concern for the Clippers, who lost Kawhi Leonard to a sprained left ankle with 9:27 left in the fourth quarter during a play involving DeRozan.

Kevin Durant Credits Russell Westbrook’s Explosiveness for Boosting His Confidence in OKC

Kevin Durant took a trip down memory lane this week, alluding to his partnership with Westbrook during their Oklahoma City Thunder run. Speaking on the Knuckleheads podcast with Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles on March 14, Durant shared how the 37-year-old’s athleticism boosted his confidence every night.

Durant said watching Westbrook up close felt unreal, describing the guard’s speed and explosiveness as something he’d never seen before.

“Playing with Russ, I ain’t never seen somebody jump that high, run that fast or be that explosive ever on anything in my life… To see that up close every night, I had the utmost confidence walking into every game.”

That chemistry defined the Thunder’s rise. Durant handled the scoring load while Russell Westbrook pushed the tempo and chaos. Together, they went 331-195 across 526 games and powered OKC to the 2012 NBA Finals and multiple Western Conference Finals runs.