It goes without saying that Russell Westbrook is one of the best players in the NBA. He's a dominant point guard that can do it all on both ends of the court and fill the stat sheet, and his never-ending energy is why the Houston Rockets traded for him last summer. Even so, there was a reasonable doubt about whether he was what the Rockets needed to take a step forward and finally put an end to their championship drought.
Westbrook's ability to push the pace and go 0-100 in a heartbeat was tailor-made for the Rockets' run-and-gun offense. He was arguably a better fit than Chris Paul and had a close relationship with James Harden, so even if it was a costly move for the Rockets, it was definitely worth it, at least in the paper.
However, the thing that makes him great is also the very same thing that has cost his teams countless times, especially in the playoffs. Westbrook tends to be overconfident so he tries to do too much, doesn't read the game in clutch situations, and turns the ball over/bricks shots when it matters most despite having an all-time great scorer as a teammate.
The Houston Rockets had the lead late in the fourth quarter of a series-clinching game vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, his former team. He proceeded to brick some shots, airball another, and then have a late-game turnover (his 7th of the night) that eventually led his team to a 104-100 loss.
Needless to say, given his history of epic meltdowns in the clutch and underperforming in the playoffs, the internet had a lot to say this time. Check out the funniest memes and reactions from last night's game.
Funniest Memes And Reactions From Russell Westbrook Epic Meltdown In The NBA Playoffs
This has happened over and over to him. Westbrook is arguably the fastest and most athletic player in the NBA. He can take everybody on earth one-on-one but that doesn't mean he needs to prove it every time he's on the floor.
Now, the Thunder have a legit shot at handing him yet another first-round exit. Ironically, it'll be the same team that the Rockets gave multiple picks just to get rid of Chris Paul and trade for, yeah, Russell Westbrook.
