Russell Westbrook is playing different basketball this season. That’s undeniable. I wrote about it for the Tuesday Oklahoman, which you can read here.
But some things about Westbrook remain the same. Like his us-against-the-world mentality.
The Thunder and the Bulls staged a rowdier-than-usual melee Monday night in which the most vivid participants were Bulls, but the instigator clearly was Westbrook.
A play-by-play: Westbrook gave Kris Dunn a slight push, Dunn responded with a major push and a skirmish ensued. Chicago’s Robin Lopez, who can look like a madman even if he’s picking out peppers at the farmer’s market, grew wide-eyed and angry at Jerami Grant, after Grant grabbed Dunn in one of those patented let-me-show-my-willingness-to-play-peacemaker-by-grabbing-an-opponent.