Ask players where the nastiest insults are yelled at them, where fans cross the line, and Salt Lake City often tops the list.
That may have been the case Monday night, when Russell Westbrook got into it with Jazz fans, yelling profanity at them. What came first was the video of Westbrook dropping F-bombs and cursing at the Utah fans. (Note: This video has profanity and is not safe for work or those offended by such language.)
Things get heated between Russell Westbrook and Utah Jazz fans again. “I’ll f*ck you up. You and your wife,” he says. Not sure what these fans said to him, but he also had issues with Jazz fans during the postseason. pic.twitter.com/LquwRmLVNy
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) March 12, 2019
Woodyard said five Jazz fans were handed warning cards saying their language and behavior violated the NBA Fan Code of Conduct, however, they were allowed to return to their seats.
Westbrook explained his side of it after the game, again a video not suitable for school, work, or those easily offended.
Russell Westbrook made a statement and did not take questions tonight. Here’s all of the statement I can fit into one Twitter vid: pic.twitter.com/EQA3A4jaQQ
— Brett Dawson (@BDawsonWrites) March 12, 2019
“How it started was, a young man and his wife in the stands told me ‘to get down on my knees like you used to.’ To me, that’s just completely disrespectful, to me, I think it’s racial, and I think it’s inappropriate.”
The fan, of course, tells a different story.
Shane Keisel, the Jazz fan who was involved in a verbal altercation with Russell Westbrook during the Jazz loss to the Thunder, explains his side of what happened. @KSL5TV @kslsports #nba pic.twitter.com/ScCSRttTCg
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JeremiahJensen) March 12, 2019
Raymond Felton, who was on the Thunder bench, said he heard the exchange and confirmed Russ’ side of the story.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) March 12, 2019
Jazz statement: pic.twitter.com/vhcSIWqVmS
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) March 12, 2019
Westbrook likely will get a fine for this.
Whatever happened in this case, it’s an issue around the league, fans crossing the line with comments looking to get a reaction or rise from players. Sometimes security in the arena is on it and the fan is removed, but not every time. If the fan said what Westbrook claims he did, then Westbrook had every right to go back at them hard.
The Thunder got the win, 98-89, to sweep the season series from Utah.