Zaza Pachulia and Russell Westbrook are two very different basketball players. They’ve never played together and it’s not like Pachulia is a threat to Westbrook as the best point guard in the league.
However, Pachulia does play with Westbrook’s ex-teammate (and maybe ex-best friend) Kevin Durant. That alone possibly explains what unfolded between Pachulia and Westbrook during the Golden State vs. Oklahoma City game on Wednesday night.
After the play, Pachulia was handed a flagrant one, but that was questionable. As ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy talked about during the clip, Pachulia probably should’ve gotten a technical and Westbrook’s teammates should’ve helped him out.
During halftime, Chauncey Billups had some interesting comments about the play as well:
And naturally, Twitter had a lot to say about the incident too.
Where the hell are Russ' teammates there?!? Somebody gotta at least shove Zaza in his chest. That was shameful the guys Russ has carried.
— nick wright (@getnickwright) January 19, 2017
if im Russell Westbrook im smacking the shit out of every single one of my teammates in locker room for letting that behemoth stand over me
— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) January 19, 2017
Westbrook puts the food on your table, puts the roof over your head and u gonna let that James Bond villain wannabe disrespect him? Hell nah
— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) January 19, 2017
imagine herb williams standing over michael jordan
— ☕netw3rk (@netw3rk) January 19, 2017
You just know Russell Westbrook desperately wants to put Zaza Pachulia on an epic poster now.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) January 19, 2017
I don't even wanna know the things Russell Westbrook could do to Zaza Pachulia
— Michael Higgins (@wordsofHIGGSdom) January 19, 2017
Zaza Pachulia standing over Russell Westbrook just now has made my afternoon.
— Jacqui Reed (@JacquiReed10) January 19, 2017
Don't you dare hurt National Treasure Russell Westbrook, Zaza
— Mardi Gavin (@GotHeem7) January 19, 2017
Never change, Zaza. And never change Russell.
Forget the Westbrook vs. Durant saga, and bring on the Westbrook vs. Pachulia battle.
UPDATE– Westbrook told the media postgame that he’s “gonna get [Pachulia’s] ass back”:
Westbrook on the Pachulia incident: "I'm gonna get his ass back for that one." pic.twitter.com/yJDYes2nXn
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) January 19, 2017