With the Kings rolling to a 118-109 win, the game’s rhythm briefly screeched to a halt late in the action. The pause came at the worst possible moment: right as DeMar DeRozan stood at the stripe ready to shoot.
According to clips circulating on X from the March 14 game broadcast, frustration boiled over when Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was granted a coach’s challenge just as DeRozan had already been handed.
The timing was unusual because challenges are rarely allowed once the free-throw process has essentially started. Westbrook, standing nearby.
The moment didn’t derail Westbrook’s stat line, though. He still posted a tidy triple-double (12 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists), marking the 209th of his career.
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.
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.”
It didn’t affect his triple-double, but it did provide yet another reminder that Westbrook plays every moment like it matters. Even the weird, awkward ones in the middle of a blowout.