Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook #0 argues a penalty call with referee Tony Brothers #25 during the second half of a NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on December 25, 2016 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Westbrook’s argumentativeness cost him on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016, when he was thrown out of Oklahoma’s game with Memphis. AFP
LOS ANGELES, United States — Russell Westbrook’s tough night in Memphis was cut short when the Oklahoma City star was ejected in the third quarter of the Thunder’s 114-80 NBA loss to the Grizzlies on Thursday.
An argumentative Westbrook — who notched his 15th triple-double of the season against the Heat on Tuesday — was tossed with 6:41 remaining in the third quarter after picking up two quick technical fouls.
He had 21 points, five rebounds and zero assists when he departed. He also had six turnovers, all in the first quarter — the most by any player in one quarter in the league this season.
He ended up as the Thunder’s leading scorer, but it was an odd-looking stat line for a player who is averaging a triple-double (31.7 points, 10.9 assists, 10.6 rebounds) this season.
The Grizzlies led 61-45 when he left the game and quickly stretched the lead to 65-45.
Memphis led 78-61 entering the fourth quarter and led by as many as 37 before it was over.
Spanish big man Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 25 points. Troy Daniels added 22 and Zach Randolph chipped in 21.
Daniels’ contribution included six three-pointers, five of them in the last three minutes of the game.
The Grizzlies powered to the win without guard Mike Conley, who was expected to play but was scratched before the game because of an infection in his toe, where his toenail was injured in a game on Monday.
“The pain would just not go away,” Grizzlies coach David Fizdale said. CBB