Russell Westbrook did not have a good night. He finished with 21 points on a horrid 6-19 shooting and didn’t have any assists. His stat sheet was not what we’re used to seeing, in part because he was ejected about halfway through the third quarter for making a comment to one of the refs. After the game, he ranted about how he is not being treated fairly and he doesn’t appreciate it.

Thunder's Russell Westbrook ejected after back-to-back technical fouls for arguing call pic.twitter.com/vyxlwFErVp

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) December 30, 2016

“Honestly, I don’t know, man. Honestly, it’s crazy to be ejected like that, especially when I didn’t do nothing,” Westbrook said. “It’s just crazy, man. Especially for me, because I feel like I don’t get the benefit of the doubt most of the time, especially throughout the game with refs.

“I get so many techs just for talking. I can’t even say nothing when I’m getting hammered every time I go to the damn basket throughout the games and previous games. Not tonight, but every night. I just don’t get ref’d the same way as other people, and I don’t appreciate it.”

As you saw, Russ got his first tech for arguing that a shot by the Grizzlies was an airball and the shot clock should’ve never reset. He appeared to repeatedly say “That’s bullsh*t” which led to the ref then hitting him with the second tech and ending his night.

Thunder coach, Billy Donovan had Westbrook’s back and echoed some of his comments about refs not treating him the same.

“I don’t know if there’s a player that’s quicker, faster, more explosive and plays in the lane more than he does,” Donovan said. “And I do think that he’s a guy, in my mind, that could go to the free throw line, seriously, 20 times a game. That would be very easy with the amount of contact he takes going to the rim, and he got there 13 times, I think, tonight, and that maybe seems like a lot. … But I’ve always been a big believer that when he’s going and he’s getting hit, fouls should be called, in my opinion.”

He continued, saying “I do think when you’re getting hit as much as he’s getting hit and you have to deal with that and not have fouls called, and you see other things with other guards and plays not being called that he would never even get because he’s fast, quick and explosive — I think after a while, that stuff builds up”.

That’s exactly what this felt like. I doubt Westbrook was really that adamant about a shot not hitting the rim and was more so just venting his frustration in general. He does take alot of abuse when he attacks the rim and doesn’t always get calls you would expect so he does have some ground to stand on in not necessarily feeling the love from the refs and their whistles.

Written by @IamJoeSports