Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook walks down the court in the final seconds of Game 2 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, Wednesday, April 19, 2017, in Houston. Houston won 115-111. AP
NEW YORK—Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook was fined $15,000 by the NBA on Friday for using inappropriate language during a post-game interview session, the league announced.
Westbrook uttered a profanity in comments following the Thunder’s 115-111 playoff loss at Houston on Wednesday, a defeat that gave the Rockets a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven first round series that continues Friday at Oklahoma City.
READ: Rockets overcome Westbrook’s 51, take 2-0 lead over Thunder
Westbrook scored 51 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and passed off 13 assists in the loss, setting a club playoff one-game scoring record and producing the most points in any triple-double in playoff history.
But when asked about his statistics during a post-game news conference televised live by several media outlets, Westbrook said, “I don’t give a f*ck about my line.”
Asked about the fine after practice Friday, Westbrook said, “If somebody is cussing me, I hope they get it too. I’m OK with it. I’ll take it.”
Westbrook was fined $25,000 last year for cursing at a spectator who was heckling him during a first-round playoff series against Dallas.
Westbrook led the NBA in scoring this season with 31.6 points a game and also averaged 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per contest, joining Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average a triple double for an entire season. He also had 42 triple doubles this season to break Robertson’s record for the most in a single campaign.