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Tormented by a string of last-minute misses, heckled by a raucous crowd and forced to contemplate another early postseason exit, Russell Westbrook ran out of patience.
The Jazz closed out the Thunder with a 96-91 victory in Game 6, despite a game-high 46 points, 10 rebounds and five assists from Westbrook, who played 44 minutes and launched 43 shots in a frenzied effort to avoid the season-ending defeat. In the game's final minute, Oklahoma City attempted seven shots, missing all seven, and endured a controversial no-call on a possible foul to Paul George.
This was, of course, a loss layered in implications: Westbrook had failed to advance in the playoffs for the second straight year, George is an upcoming free agent and Carmelo Anthony barely made a blip against the Jazz.

Before Westbrook could face those harsh realities, though, he twice found himself in altercations with Jazz fans on his way off the court. And he used his postgame press conference to accuse the Salt Lake City crowd of "disrespectful" behavior and to call for greater policing of fan conduct.
"I don't confront fans," Westbrook said. "Fans confront me. Here in Utah, a lot of disrespectful, vulgar things are said to the players here. With these fans, it's truly disrespectful. Talking about your families, your kids. It's just a disrespect to the game. I think it's something that needs to be brought up."
Westbrook's two incidents both occurred as he departed the court for the locker room. At halftime, Westbrook quickly turned and shouted at an apparent heckler seated near the tunnel. Thunder assistant coach Maurice Cheeks and security staffers intervened.

Then, as he approached the same tunnel following the game, Westbrook attempted to knock a fan's phone out of his hand before another exchange of words. Again, security staffers stepped in to separate the 2017 MVP from the fan.
[url=https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/990097572885741569][/url]
Oklahoma City dropped all three of its games at the Vivint Smart Home Arena, which has been one of the league's loudest arenas during the postseason.
After surviving the Thunder's late onslaught, the Jazz advanced to the second round to face the Rockets thanks to 38 points from Donovan Mitchell. The electric scoring guard, who entered the playoffs in a tight Rookie of the Year race with Philadelphia's Ben Simmons, finished with the most points by a rookie in a playoff game since Chuck Person in 1987.
Game 1 between the Rockets and Jazz is set for Sunday in Houston.
[url=https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/990097572885741569][/url]
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/russell-westbrook-calls-for-action-to-stop-%E2%80%98disrespectful-vulgar%E2%80%99-fans-after-two-incidents/ar-AAwseOV?li=BBnb7Kz

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mavsfan4ever said:

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ATM9000 said:

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PatAg said:

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Guy at the end just had his iphone out, gimme a break.

You're paid millions of dollars, suck it up and ignore the **** fans say.
"keeping it real on the streets" my ass. If he truly believes that, then he would be in jail if we didn't overvalue children's athletic games in our society.

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I loathe Russ. He's a basketball succubus.

But give me a break with this drivel, Anybody who is accosted in the way he was in Utah would be uncomfortable with it... just because he makes a lot of money doesn't mean he gets paid to give up his dignity. As a fan you are paying for a ticket to be entertained. The price of admission doesn't give you a right to invade people's space and be an *******. Russ is right on this one.

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Accosted???? The fan was recording Russ on his cell phone. Even if he talked a little **** bc they just won the series, there is no way he accosted him. And there is absolutely no evidence that he even said anything obscene or vulgar.

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Uhhh yeah there's video evidence that he was accosted. Again, you wear the situation. You are walking by and not only does somebody follow you with their cellphone camera but they lean in and point it at you probably 12 inches away from your face. You wouldn't be bothered by that or think your space was violated? That's absolutely an unwanted and aggressive invasion of your space. Fan was saying something in the moment too nobody knows what though.

Probably the next argument will be that plenty of players deal with it without saying anything and that's true, but it doesn't make the ******* fans right in the situation.

ATM9000 said:

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mavsfan4ever said:

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ATM9000 said:

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PatAg said:

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Guy at the end just had his iphone out, gimme a break.

You're paid millions of dollars, suck it up and ignore the **** fans say.
"keeping it real on the streets" my ass. If he truly believes that, then he would be in jail if we didn't overvalue children's athletic games in our society.

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I loathe Russ. He's a basketball succubus.

But give me a break with this drivel, Anybody who is accosted in the way he was in Utah would be uncomfortable with it... just because he makes a lot of money doesn't mean he gets paid to give up his dignity. As a fan you are paying for a ticket to be entertained. The price of admission doesn't give you a right to invade people's space and be an *******. Russ is right on this one.

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Accosted???? The fan was recording Russ on his cell phone. Even if he talked a little **** bc they just won the series, there is no way he accosted him. And there is absolutely no evidence that he even said anything obscene or vulgar.

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Uhhh yeah there's video evidence that he was accosted. Again, you wear the situation. You are walking by and not only does somebody follow you with their cellphone camera but they lean in and point it at you probably 12 inches away from your face. You wouldn't be bothered by that or think your space was violated? That's absolutely an unwanted and aggressive invasion of your space. Fan was saying something in the moment too nobody knows what though.

Probably the next argument will be that plenty of players deal with it without saying anything and that's true, but it doesn't make the ******* fans right in the situation.

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I've seen the video. The fan was in his seat. He wasn't following Westbrook. I would feel differently if he was walking right next to him and following him around. The fan just pointed his cell phone at him. I agree that he probably got a little closer than he should have but there was nothing aggressive about it.

mavsfan4ever said:

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ATM9000 said:

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mavsfan4ever said:

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ATM9000 said:

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PatAg said:

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Guy at the end just had his iphone out, gimme a break.

You're paid millions of dollars, suck it up and ignore the **** fans say.
"keeping it real on the streets" my ass. If he truly believes that, then he would be in jail if we didn't overvalue children's athletic games in our society.

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I loathe Russ. He's a basketball succubus.

But give me a break with this drivel, Anybody who is accosted in the way he was in Utah would be uncomfortable with it... just because he makes a lot of money doesn't mean he gets paid to give up his dignity. As a fan you are paying for a ticket to be entertained. The price of admission doesn't give you a right to invade people's space and be an *******. Russ is right on this one.

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Accosted???? The fan was recording Russ on his cell phone. Even if he talked a little **** bc they just won the series, there is no way he accosted him. And there is absolutely no evidence that he even said anything obscene or vulgar.

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Uhhh yeah there's video evidence that he was accosted. Again, you wear the situation. You are walking by and not only does somebody follow you with their cellphone camera but they lean in and point it at you probably 12 inches away from your face. You wouldn't be bothered by that or think your space was violated? That's absolutely an unwanted and aggressive invasion of your space. Fan was saying something in the moment too nobody knows what though.

Probably the next argument will be that plenty of players deal with it without saying anything and that's true, but it doesn't make the ******* fans right in the situation.

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I've seen the video. The fan was in his seat. He wasn't following Westbrook. I would feel differently if he was walking right next to him and following him around. The fan just pointed his cell phone at him. I agree that he probably got a little closer than he should have but there was nothing aggressive about it.

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THe fan wasn't in his seat. He was in the aisle leaning his arm way over and following Westbrook with his phone as he passed by getting the phone and his arm extremely close to him.

A stranger jumping in your personal space while jawing at you is aggressive... no questions about it. Was the fan threatening? Probably not... but what he can did was absolutely aggressive and I have no clue how you could watch that and say otherwise.

I don't like Russ but if a fan is doing something to a player like this, I think if the player isn't in the mood for it, he's perfectly in his right to knock the phone out of the fans hand or tell the fan to back off and shut up. There's a difference between cheering for your team and being obnoxious to a player and in both instances the fans were clearly acting pretty obnoxiously.

ATM9000 said:

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I don't like Russ but if a fan is doing something to a player like this, I think if the player isn't in the mood for it, he's perfectly in his right to knock the phone out of the fans hand or tell the fan to back off and shut up.

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That would probably be an appropriate way to handle it. No need to whine about it in the presser.

CactusThomas said:

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ATM9000 said:

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I don't like Russ but if a fan is doing something to a player like this, I think if the player isn't in the mood for it, he's perfectly in his right to knock the phone out of the fans hand or tell the fan to back off and shut up.

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That would probably be an appropriate way to handle it. No need to whine about it in the presser.

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Whine about it? He was asked about it and he responded.

I didn't hear whining. He wasn't petulant or crying about it. He said this is what I faced and the league should do something about it. Not a controversial or unreasonable take and he didn't belabor the point. He just answered the question.

Some of you guys hate Russ too much. Everything he did including the presser were perfectly reasonable in that situation.

Cool. I think he should slap the phone out of the kid's hand and shut up about it. You think he should ask the league to do something about it (which I see as whining). Difference of opinions. No big deal.

Go Russ. Get that triple dub!

CactusThomas said:

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Cool. I think he should slap the phone out of the kid's hand and shut up about it. You think he should ask the league to do something about it (which I see as whining). Difference of opinions. No big deal.

Go Russ. Get that triple dub!

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So you think it is better for russ, coming off an emotionally draining event, to personally escalate the situation with someone who is more than likely drunk. Yeah, that is just dumb. Also by kid do you mean 40+ year old fan?

CactusThomas said:

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Cool. I think he should slap the phone out of the kid's hand and shut up about it. You think he should ask the league to do something about it (which I see as whining). Difference of opinions. No big deal.

Go Russ. Get that triple dub!

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So... if somebody asks him about it at a news conference, what's the proper response in your opinion that wouldn't be 'whining'?

"I don't recall that incident"
"I don't remember"
"not sure what you're talking about"
"next question"

Isn't that what players say all the time when asked about their actions in a heated moment?

He can say whatever he wants. I'm just think he's whiny.

No because he's advocating for political correctness. Let the fans say a thing vulgar and offensive!

It wasn't a battery thrown by a Eagles fan screaming that he was going to murder your mother.

Just like Russ gets to suck up teammates' boards to get his triple double to close the season, but he can't be disrespected by fans. Fans are by and large ******s that do nothing but disrespect opposing teams' players. Russ' real problem is that for all his athleticism, motor, and drive, writers have trashed his game, Durant left him to win a championship and Finals MVP, and with two other stars they still flamed out to a rookie led Utah squad, and if PG 13 leaves it will be pinned on Westbrook.

Freaking fans.

Amusingly he doesn't respect journalists, which is funny and contributes to the written denigration of his game.
For all his incredible talent, MVP award, and skills, he's keenly aware that his game is largely disrespected when it comes to the greats, which is why amongst the stars he can't tolerate a shot from a nobody. Usually when someone physically engages fans or freaks out it's the same dynamic.

How dare they!

Agree with Westbrook. Fans get way too into sports these days and talking trash like that is just pathetic. It's a game.

TheMasterplan said:

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Agree with Westbrook. Fans get way too into sports these days and talking trash like that is just pathetic. It's a game.

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No being trashy and offensive should be a good thing. This is how political correctness began.

The best way to shut them up Russ... Win. Ask Jordan. Ask Duncan. Ask LeBron.

I am already loathing the Rockets visiting Utah. Hate their fans.

We celebrate the trash talk.
It is no surprise that fans do it. It's not like this is a new phenomenon in sports.

I'm not advocating for speaking vile words to visiting teams, but there probably isn't an era in NBA history that has had more regulation of fan behavior than right now. I'm also not sure there has been a time in NBA history that players have been allowed to complain/whine on the floor as current NBA players, and refs have also been under the spotlight more than ever, and I'm not just referring to late game calls, but for the way the respond to a player's outburst.

Yes fans should act better, but at some point, the player is the professional, not the fan.

Iowaggie said:

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Yes fans should act better, but at some point, the player is the professional, not the fan.

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Sorry, but this is a ridiculous take. I'm not going to go into McDonald's and berate a cashier because my Big Mac came out wrong and because expect that cashier to not react back because that person is the professional in that setting where I'm the paying customer. No sideline I've seen is wide enough of a boundary to excuse a lack of public decorum.

ATM9000 said:

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mavsfan4ever said:

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ATM9000 said:

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PatAg said:

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Guy at the end just had his iphone out, gimme a break.

You're paid millions of dollars, suck it up and ignore the **** fans say.
"keeping it real on the streets" my ass. If he truly believes that, then he would be in jail if we didn't overvalue children's athletic games in our society.

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I loathe Russ. He's a basketball succubus.

But give me a break with this drivel, Anybody who is accosted in the way he was in Utah would be uncomfortable with it... just because he makes a lot of money doesn't mean he gets paid to give up his dignity. As a fan you are paying for a ticket to be entertained. The price of admission doesn't give you a right to invade people's space and be an *******. Russ is right on this one.

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Accosted???? The fan was recording Russ on his cell phone. Even if he talked a little **** bc they just won the series, there is no way he accosted him. And there is absolutely no evidence that he even said anything obscene or vulgar.

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Uhhh yeah there's video evidence that he was accosted. Again, you wear the situation. You are walking by and not only does somebody follow you with their cellphone camera but they lean in and point it at you probably 12 inches away from your face. You wouldn't be bothered by that or think your space was violated? That's absolutely an unwanted and aggressive invasion of your space. Fan was saying something in the moment too nobody knows what though.

Probably the next argument will be that plenty of players deal with it without saying anything and that's true, but it doesn't make the ******* fans right in the situation.

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I'm not paid millions of dollars to be there

PatAg said:

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ATM9000 said:

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mavsfan4ever said:

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ATM9000 said:

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PatAg said:

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Guy at the end just had his iphone out, gimme a break.

You're paid millions of dollars, suck it up and ignore the **** fans say.
"keeping it real on the streets" my ass. If he truly believes that, then he would be in jail if we didn't overvalue children's athletic games in our society.

---

I loathe Russ. He's a basketball succubus.

But give me a break with this drivel, Anybody who is accosted in the way he was in Utah would be uncomfortable with it... just because he makes a lot of money doesn't mean he gets paid to give up his dignity. As a fan you are paying for a ticket to be entertained. The price of admission doesn't give you a right to invade people's space and be an *******. Russ is right on this one.

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Accosted???? The fan was recording Russ on his cell phone. Even if he talked a little **** bc they just won the series, there is no way he accosted him. And there is absolutely no evidence that he even said anything obscene or vulgar.

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Uhhh yeah there's video evidence that he was accosted. Again, you wear the situation. You are walking by and not only does somebody follow you with their cellphone camera but they lean in and point it at you probably 12 inches away from your face. You wouldn't be bothered by that or think your space was violated? That's absolutely an unwanted and aggressive invasion of your space. Fan was saying something in the moment too nobody knows what though.

Probably the next argument will be that plenty of players deal with it without saying anything and that's true, but it doesn't make the ******* fans right in the situation.

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I'm not paid millions of dollars to be there

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Basically every adult knows what is unwanted space invasions, etc. putting a phone in a strangers face and laughing is definitely unwanted space invasion.
I don't care if Westbrook makes a billions, doing what that guy did is inappropriate and ****ty.

How much somebody makes is completely irrelevant to this conversation as it was when you initially posted it.

I never said the fan wasnt a jerk. I was commenting on what Westbrook said.

lostrg said:

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TheMasterplan said:

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Agree with Westbrook. Fans get way too into sports these days and talking trash like that is just pathetic. It's a game.

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No being trashy and offensive should be a good thing. This is how political correctness began.

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This isn't about political correctness dude...it's about caring too much about a game that has no effect on your life. Why disparage someone? I just find it lame and unbecoming of an adult that looks to be in his mid 40s. You're not even playing.

Just chill out and watch the game.

(I like Trump talking trash on twitter btw...but that's politics and has real life effects. Sports don't.)

Next time you lose a client or get passed over for a promotion just imagine some 50 year old idiot laughing his ass off at you while filming your reaction from 12-18 inches away.

That fan was a moron.