Russell Westbrook got into it with a fan during the Clippers’ 113-104 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
The defending champions managed a win over the struggling Clippers without Jamal Murray – the point guard is still out with a hamstring issue but is expected to return this week – and are now 6-5 since he got sidelined on November 4. Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon also missed the game.
The Nuggets were up 113-102 with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter when Westbrook was shown talking back to a fan behind the courtside seats. Referee Lauren Holtfkamp stayed in front of him to prevent things from escalating any further.
He returned to confront the fan after the game was over. Holtfkamp stood by again, while players from both the Clippers and Nuggets tried calming him down.
“I mean, it’s unfortunate,” the former MVP said after the game. “Fans think they can say whatever they want. I’m not going to say [what was said] now because it’s not appropriate, but I’m just protecting myself.
“It’s just unfortunate fans think they can get away with saying anything and, personally, I won’t allow it. I’ve [taken] a lot of people saying anything and getting away with it, but I won’t stand for it.”
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This is hardly the first time Westbrook has gotten chippy with a fan. He’s had such incidents in each of the last three seasons and maintains he won’t stand for any disrespect.
“Now having kids and understanding how important it is, not just myself but my last name,” he added. “Understanding what Westbrook means, understanding how important that is to my dad, my grandfather, my family. It’s very important. It’s something I stand on, and the respect is a big thing that I value.
