It was almost as if Russell Westbrook never left.
The crowd sounded the same. The cheers were still as loud, maybe even a little more so, as Westbrook did his normal pre-game routine, bumping fists with those at the scorer’s table and pointing into the stands before sprinting to the corner of the court.
Westbrook was still the highest scorer in the game, pouring in 34 points and dishing out five assists in a Thunder victory.
The only difference was Westbrook was in a Rockets jersey, no longer a part of what’s going on in Oklahoma City, although the trade that sent him to Houston and brought in CP3 has certainly had an effect on what is happening this year for OKC.
All things considered, Westbrook’s return couldn’t have gone better for the Thunder. They got the win and still got to show Westbrook how much the fans and the community appreciated the 11 years he spent in Oklahoma City.
As for Westbrook, he told reporters after the game, it “felt like I was home.”
“Plain and simple. I didn’t get this feeling like it was weird. It’s just I felt like I was playing, back at Chesapeake. Like a normal game for me, honestly. Not a normal night, but me personally, once I got on the floor, that’s how I feel.”
Though there was lots of love in the building, as Barry Tramel of The Oklahoman pointed out, “a Thunder-Rockets playoff series could test the resolve of even the most ardent Russ fan,” but for now, things have worked out just fine for both sides.
