Russell Westbrook was ejected from the Rockets-Warriors game on Thursday night following his second technical foul with 6:04 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The game wasn’t in doubt at that point — the Rockets won easily, 135-105 win, but Westbrook was still disappointed at being ejected, and talked at length after the game about why he felt it happened.
The particulars: Westbrook was first assessed a technical in the first quarter for arguing over a foul call, then was issued his second technical — which results in an automatic ejection — in the fourth, after he bumped Warriors guard Damion Lee and then started arguing with several players on the Warriors bench.
Westbrook’s comments on it show that he understands he needs to hold himself to a higher standard … but he still feels that refs also hold him to a different standard than the rest of the league.
“I think it’s a situation where I hold myself to a very, very high standard,” Westbrook said. “I think the refs, the fans, media, the NBA [is] put in a position now where I’m not really allowed to do much. Obviously, I’m an emotional guy … Guys come running up to me, I didn’t move, but I’m always the one that gets painted to be the bad guy in the whole situation.”
This may be true, but Westbrook also has to own a little bit that decisions he’s made in the past got him here. There are very few refs in the league who immediately write a guy off for no reason. It just doesn’t happen.
Westbrook has put himself in bad positions time and time again. He can get mad about it, but he has to understand he has to do work to unmake his reputation.
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