Although the cast is different, there’s still a rivalry between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. The tension between the two teams was on display Thursday night.
The game was chippy throughout with Marquese Chriss, Danuel House Jr. and Russell Westbrook receiving technical fouls. In the fourth quarter with the Rockets leading by 35-points, tempers flared.
Westbrook appeared to elbow Damion Lee on a rebound attempt, which sparked an argument between the former Most Valuable Player and the Warriors. Westbrook shrugged his shoulders towards Lee, triggering Juan Toscano-Anderson to rip the basketball from his hands.
Westbrook was guided towards the Warriors bench where the situation escalated. Klay Thompson and Westbrook exchanged words on the sideline before the Rockets guard made his way to Houston’s end of the floor. On the way back to the bench, Westbrook bumped shoulders with fellow UCLA product, Kevon Looney.
Westbrook was assessed his second technical, causing an ejection from the game with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The Rockets All-Star finished the night with 21 points and 10 assists in Houston’s 135-105 road victory.
Westbrook now leads the NBA with 13 technicals on the season, one more than Golden State’s Draymond Green.
