Pelicans’ Cousins ejected for flagrant foul on Westbrook
NEW ORLEANS — The review Russell Westbrook wanted finally came.
As a result, DeMarcus
Cousins' night ended early. Westbrook caught an elbow from Cousins in the third quarter of Monday’s Thunder game against the Pelicans. Westbrook hit the deck, and Cousins — after a review from officials — hit the showers.
The play happened with 5 minutes to play in the third quarter Monday night and the Thunder leading 76-72.
Carmelo Anthony missed a 3-point shot, and Westbrook’s putback attempt missed. Cousins grabbed the rebound, and as Westbrook reached in for an attempted steal, Cousins hit him in the side of the head with an elbow.
Westbrook stayed on the court for more than a minute, his face in his hands.
Officials reviewed the play and ruled a flagrant foul category 2 on Cousins, which carries an automatic ejection.
Two weeks ago in Portland, Anthony was ejected for a flagrant 2 when he hit the Blazers’ Jusuf Nurkic in the face on a drive to the basket. Earlier in that game, Westbrook felt he’d taken a shot to the face on a play that officials did not review, although Thunder coach Billy Donovan said he asked for one.
After that game, Donovan said he “probably didn’t ask Russell to stay down on the court long enough to get it reviewed.” He, Westbrook and Paul George all were fined for the comments they made about officiating after the Blazers game.
“I got hit in the face,” Westbrook said in Portland. “They didn’t review it, as they should. I just think that when it’s us, our team, myself, they don’t do the same thing they do other games.”
Shooting the breeze
A shot goes in the air, and Raymond Felton’s voice rings out.
“Foot on the line!” he’ll say.
Nobody’s as chatty as the Thunder’s backup point guard when players participate in post-practice and post-shootaround shooting competitions. The games are competitive, and Felton is always looking for an edge, a way to make a teammate overthink.
“Ray’s a heck of a teammate,” George said. “He has fun, man. He makes us loose. He makes it fun, great atmosphere. One thing about Ray, though, he comes to work. It’s great to have a good vibe along with somebody that knows how to put that time in as well.”
At the Smoothie King Center on Monday morning, Anthony beat George and Jerami Grant in a 3-point competition. Felton frequently shoots against Patrick Patterson and Kyle Singler, among others.
“Ray shoots in a different group,” George said. “He used to shoot with us, but he couldn’t get no wins, so he went to the JV level.”
Friendly face George spent a little time guarding Anthony Davis, a challenge for even the best defenders, and especially for George, who’s rarely matched up with power forwards.
But George has spent some time on Davis over the years, and spent some time with him away from defense. The two became acquainted through USA Basketball and have become “great friends,” George said.
“We never played on the same Olympic team, but we’ve been in Vegas and been training,” George said. “It started then, and just over time being around one another, it just grew.”