When Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016 after nearly a decade with the organization, it was rumored he had done so because he didn’t want to play with Russell Westbrook anymore.
It’s a rumor that has persisted over time and has grown to include rumored tension between some of Westbrook’s other star teammates, such as Paul George and James Harden.
On Sunday, Westbrook and Durant reunited on the court, as the former’s Los Angeles Lakers defeated the latter’s Brooklyn Nets.
Almost as if to show the rumors of tension between himself and the 2017 league MVP aren’t true, Durant praised Westbrook for his recent play off the bench, and even for the way he played defense.
Via Lakers Nation:
“He’s just going to hack me the whole time,” Durant said when asked about Westbrook guarding him. “He’s been doing that (expletive) since we were 18, 19.
“But more than anything, to see the role Russ is playing right now, he’s just affecting the game in so many different ways. 12 assists tonight, four turnovers, 14 points, he came in there and put his imprint on the game. So it’s always fun playing against him, regardless of what setting it is, it’s always been like that.”
Although Westbrook hasn’t shot well in his last three games, he has still helped his team by getting others easy baskets and speeding up the pace of its offense. In those games, he has totaled 32 assists.
Not coincidentally, the Lakers’ offense has shown signs of improvement ever since he was moved to the bench.
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