Russell Westbrook and Rajon Rondo were yelled at for the first time since Westbrook’s brother Rondo’s brother on Friday during a playoff game last year. Things between them became irritable again.
The seasoned guards, who now play for teams other than those represented in the Orlando bubble, first had words in the first half of Wizards-Hawks in Washington and were classified as technical fouls.
The hostility peaked in the fourth quarter when a frustrated Westbrook encountered Rondo in an attempt to rebound. That move earned Westbrook a second technical and an early exit from a game that the Wizards eventually lost.
“I mean, honestly it’s more up to me. I can’t afford to bend down to anyone’s level,” Westbrook told reporters after the game, according to NBC Sports Washington. “That’s not my character or who I am. I have to be better regardless of trash talk and what is being said.”
Rondo was thrown out for a second technical foul five minutes from time while he was on the bench. The reason was unclear.
The obvious move is to link at least the first incident to what happened in the Western Conference semifinals last September. When Rondos Lakers completed Westbrook’s Rockets in Game 5 of the series, Westbrook became engaged to Rondo’s brother William after a free throw from LeBron James. William Rondo sat in the court and twittered in Westbrook, as did Rajon Rondo.
“Guys at the game, you should shut up and watch the game,” Westbrook told reporters after the game. “Those are the rules, especially when you have families and people here. … Because [Rajon] Rondo talked s – he decided that he wanted to get in too. It’s okay. Everything is good. I get it. He wanted to record for his brother. I don’t know what, but that’s it. “
The Washington Post reported that arena security led William Rondo out of the arena.
Rajon Rondo came in to defend his brother in his comments after Game 5.
“He didn’t do anything crazy,” said Rondo. “He called the man ‘garbage’. Fans do what fans do. He’s my brother first. He didn’t do anything disrespectful.”
This article has been updated with Westbrook’s comments and Rondo’s expulsion. Material from Jordan Greer and Stats Perform News was used in this report.
