Russell Westbrook had no love for former teammate James Harden with a huge chase-down block
Russell Westbrook and James Harden were once teammates on the Oklahoma City Thunder when the team seemed destined to become a dynasty with those two and Kevin Durant. Then Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets and neither team has been to the NBA Finals since. Westbrook made sure to let Harden know what he was missing with the Thunder on Friday night as OKC and Houston faced off.
In the first quarter of their matchup on Friday night, Harden got loose on a fast break and thought he only had to beat the man in front of him, Dion Waiters. Harden should have been more aware, though, that Westbrook was charging hard behind him and was then able to catch him and toss Harden’s lay-up away with authority:
As Westbrook tends to do on just about every play that he makes on a basketball court, he just seemed so vicious and angry making that defensive play on Harden. That has nothing to do with the fact that the two men were once teammates and everything to do with the fact that Russ often plays like a man possessed.
Both players will be teammates once again in the NBA All-Star Game in a couple of weeks, which makes you wonder if Westbrook will bring this play up to Harden in a little bit of friendly locker room ribbing when they’re together again in Toronto.