Durant, Westbrook now an awkward pairing
JAMES Harden was staying out of it.
“They’re two grown men,” Harden, the Houston Rockets’ do-ever ything guard, said ahead of Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game. “They have to figure it out themselves.”
He was referring to the ongoing rift between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, two former teammates who do not seem to like each other much these days.
Their weekend was an awkward reunion for two global icons, both All-Stars for the Western Conference. As such, they were obliged to share oxygen, if not much else, at Smoothie King Center.
Perhaps there was a brief detente for the West’s 192-182 victory over the East. In the first quarter, Westbrook came off the bench to join Durant on the floor. On their fourth pos- session together, Durant tossed a lob to Westbrook for a dunk. Their teammates erupted on the bench, and it appeared as though Westbrook and Durant were capable of coexisting, at least for one night.
“He threw a lob,” Westbrook s a id. “T hat ’s a l l t hat happened. Just t hrew a lob. It’s basketba ll.”
In a game completely devoid of actual competition and anything that remotely resembled defence, Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans set an All-Star Game record with 52 points on his home floor, breaking a mark held by Wilt Chamberlain, and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Westbrook scored 41 points, and Durant had 21 to go along with 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Once upon a time, Durant and Westbrook played together for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Last summer, Durant left for the Golden State Warriors in free agency. Westbrook was not pleased.
A c c o r d i n g t o v a r i o u s accounts, their only communication in the many months since Durant’s departure came a little over a week ago, when they screamed at each other in the second half of a Warriors victory in Oklahoma City.
‘Fashion week’s been great’
Before Sunday’s game, they proved equally adept at avoiding the mention of the other’s name. Durant, for example, was asked how he dealt with potential distractions.
“Sometimes it’s tough,” he said. “But when you just block it out, it’s kind of easy. Don’t look at stuff and don’t pay attention. Stuff that you guys think is important, I don’t think it’s important at all. When you look at it that way, it’s pretty easy to me.”
As for Westbrook, he refused even to dip his toes into the topic. Consider his response to a question about being in the same locker room as Durant.
“Man, you know what? Fashion week has been great,” Westbrook said. “You seen fashion week? You pay attention to fashion week? A lot of greatlooking things in fashion week. New collections.”
At Saturday’s public practice at the Superdome, Westbrook and Durant kept their distance. Whenever possible – which was often – they took up residence at opposite ends of the court.
With Durant, the Thunder were title contenders. Last season, they took the Warriors to seven games in the conference finals – and probably would have advanced to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals had Thompson not failed to engineer some lateseries heroics.
Without Durant, the Thunder are determined overachievers. The joke goes that they are only one player away from being back in the hunt for a title. ( That player, Durant, now lives in the Bay Area.)
Despite all that, Westbrook said: “I’m in a great place. I’m happy. I’m having fun.”
Westbrook was already a competitive individual before Durant left town. But Durant’s departure appears to have motivated Westbrook even more – no small feat. And in that way, despite their clear differences, Westbrook and Durant remain connected. Westbrook feeds off the anger, uses it as fuel.
This is his version of happiness. This is the way he has fun.