When Reggie Jackson was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Detroit Pistons, it meant that he was no longer Russell Westbrook’s friend by association. And on Tuesday night, at the end of the Pistons victory over the shorthanded Thunder, he experienced the full wrath of being disassociated from Oklahoma City’s mutant.
Westbrook apparently took exception to Jackson’s celebration in the waning seconds of Tuesday’s tilt. Afterward, per ESPN.com’s Royce Young, he made it clear he would neither forgive nor forget:
Russell Westbrook said he took exception to former teammate Reggie Jackson’s animated celebration with a few seconds remaining in the Detroit Pistons’ 88-82 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
“Yeah, I did actually,” Westbrook said when asked if he disapproved. “Honestly, I think that was some real bulls—. I don’t appreciate it for our team and our organization. I don’t like it at all. But it is what it is. We’ll see him down the line. We’ll take care of that when we get there.”
The Thunder and Pistons won’t meet again this season, and they most definitely won’t be meeting in the playoffs. You can envision a scenario, however unlikely, in which the Thunder scrap and claw their way into the NBA Finals. The Pistons, however, are still fighting to make the playoffs at all.
For the record, Westbrook wasn’t the only Thunder player who took exception with Jackson’s displays of joy:
Following a game-clinching rebound by Aron Baynes and an ensuing Thunder foul, Jackson hopped along the sideline while waving at the crowd for an extended amount of time and also shot a look at the OKC bench. As Baynes took his free throws, Thunder center Steven Adams had a lengthy conversation with Jackson.
Just surprised, really,” Adams said. “Says a lot about him.”
“Keep it up here, though,” Adams said, pointing to his head, “for next time.”
In my limited experience on the basketball court, this means that Jackson better watch his six the next time these two teams actually do meet. A hard screen courtesy of Steven Adams may be coming. Westbrook might be plotting to put him on the wrong end of a poster and then engage in a staring contest he’ll most definitely win.
Well that, or the Thunder will just play Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka next time, assuming KD is still around, and pummel the Pistons into submission with some good ol’ fashion we’re-better-than-you-are basketball.
