During the second quarter of Sunday’s Kings Lakers matchup, tensions boiled over when Kleber fouled Malik Monk with the Lakers holding a commanding lead.
The exchange escalated quickly:“Come on over here,” Westbrook challenged.Kleber fired back, reportedly telling the 37-year-old point guard to “meet him in the back.
The Kleber confrontation wasn’t Westbrook’s only heated moment of the night. Shortly after, he got into it with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves at the free-throw line.
As Dončić prepared to shoot, Westbrook repeatedly yelled “Ball doesn’t lie.” When Dončić missed, both Lakers starters laughed in Westbrook’s face a reaction that eventually earned the Kings guard a technical foul.
The Lakers cruised to a 128-104 victory, snapping a four-game losing streak. Dončić led the way with 28 points, while LeBron James added 24. The win improved Los Angeles to 36-24, good for sixth place in the Western Conference.
Westbrook has never hidden his feelings about his former team. In a postgame interview last month, he made clear there’s nothing he enjoys more than beating the teams he used to play for.
Russell Westbrook vs. the Lakers is a rivalry that refuses to die. Whether confronting players on the court or exchanging words at the free-throw line, Westbrook brings the same energy he’s always had.
The Kings lost the game. But Westbrook made sure everyone knew he wasn’t going quietly.