After Game 1 of the NBA Finals ended on a triumphant note for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook was back at it on the fashion scene. He confidently put on red glassless eyeglasses. He sported a busy white Prada shirt that featured people dancing and playing musical instruments, and random cars. He completed the look with a pair of Khaki pants, and red and yellow Balenciaga high top sneakers that sell for about $600.
"You can't get it too many places," a proud Westbrook said about his clothes. "I can't tell you the places where I get my stuff. I shop at a lot of places. I shop all the time."
"Russ" has become one of the NBA's most fun-loving personalities thanks to his ensembles during these playoffs. But an angry Westbrook played an important role in helping lift the initially listless Thunder to a 105-94 victory on Tuesday night over the Miami Heat. Westbrook scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half and nearly had a triple-double with 11 assists and eight rebounds.And all this came after Heat forward Shane Battier got Westbrook mad.
"That's all I need every once in a while. I don't know what he was thinking," Westbrook said. "He was trying to punk me."
A frustrated Westbrook had nine points on 3-of-10 shooting from the field and missed both 3-point attempts while dishing six assists in the first half. Perhaps he spent precious energy in a dance routine, moving furiously during the pregame introductions. The Thunder followed Westbrook's lackluster lead despite Kevin Durant's solid start (13 first-half points). Miami was certainly in control as it owned a lead as large as 13 points before walking into the locker room at halftime up 54-47.
"I needed something. We needed something," Westbrook said.
Westbrook finally got that something when he drove hard for a shifty lay-in with 31.4 seconds left before the half. Westbrook and Battier then got testy after getting tangled. Westbrook swung his arm in retaliation and received a technical and personal foul; Battier was also given a technical.
Suddenly, the nice guy was gone in an Incredible Hulk second as he walked toward the crowd and screamed with a wild look in his eye. Westbrook also fired up the Thunder faithful, who roared back in appreciation.
"Just frustrated in myself," Westbrook said. "I know I could have played harder. And our coaching staff and other guys on the team just emphasized once I started playing harder everybody else would follow. And that's my job."
