This is Russell Westbrook's first basket. It's a perfectly-timed pass from a teammate who has since thought of the former MVP as one of the reasons why he almost became an MVP in his brief stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
We have seen this story for some time now - the much-awaited reunion leading to a possibly burned bridge.
Yes, Russell Westbrook's first Los Angeles Clippers game is a 176-175 defeat against the Sacramento Kings. Also, he was three turnovers shy from having a "Westbrook" triple-double (to go with his 17 points and 14 assists off 7-of-13 shooting.
More importantly, where is the defense in this game?
Hopefully, this leads to some sort of redemption arc. I know Westbrook's game but I thought how he got depicted is a bit overboard. The Clippers might be in Los Angeles, but their history isn't as complex as the Los Angeles Lakers. The team could be forgiving to his whims especially if he returns next season in the gracious arms of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Hopefully, he gets a ring before his star really fizzles out. Carmelo Anthony recently visited the Philippines to a not-so-hot welcome. Anthony, technically, can still play if an NBA team wants him but because of the events that transpired before this visit, he'll probably finalize his retirement after this season.
Again, hopefully, Westbrook can get something from this.
Now, all eyes are on James Harden. Kevin Durant might be chasing a ring as a "bus driver" but Harden has been underachieving for a lot of underachieving teams through the years.