Was Westbrook right to be angry at last second dunk?

[NHHillbilly]

Was Westbrook right to be angry that Basely dunked the ball after a steal?
We saw Beal miss two layups in a row, so if the guy wants to dunk and make sure, why not?
LA was down by 5 with 4 seconds left, but they had the ball and they sort of didn't stop playing.
Are you really supposed to care how the other team feels while there is still time in the game? Your instincts just tell you to keep playing.

Westbrook should have been angry at the Rondo for throwing a lazy pass.

[Ogaju]

Was Westbrook right to be angry that Basely dunked the ball after a steal?
We saw Beal miss two layups in a row, so if the guy wants to dunk and make sure, why not?
LA was down by 5 with 4 seconds left, but they had the ball and they sort of didn't stop playing.
Are you really supposed to care how the other team feels while there is still time in the game? Your instincts just tell you to keep playing.

Westbrook should have been angry at the Rondo for throwing a lazy pass.

I don’t understand that. There is no mercy rule, you don’t want him to dunk, play defense.

[celticsclay]

Was Westbrook right to be angry that Basely dunked the ball after a steal?
We saw Beal miss two layups in a row, so if the guy wants to dunk and make sure, why not?
LA was down by 5 with 4 seconds left, but they had the ball and they sort of didn't stop playing.
Are you really supposed to care how the other team feels while there is still time in the game? Your instincts just tell you to keep playing.

Westbrook should have been angry at the Rondo for throwing a lazy pass.

I don’t understand that. There is no mercy rule, you don’t want him to dunk, play defense.

I’ve watched some European and Chinese ball over the last few years and they beg do this kind of stuff all the time. That being said. I’m not sure why you can’t just dribble out the clock if you steal it up 5 with 5 seconds left. You have to really
Go full speed to get that dunk off. So I can sort of understand both sides.

[moiso]

He was taking his blown 26 point lead and 10 turnovers out on Bazely, who made the correct basketball play. 

Westbrook is the last guy that should be talking about unwritten rules.  He flexes and mean mugs and acts like a nutjob every time he wants to emphasize one of his own plays, regardless if his team is up by 20 or down by 20. 

Plus you have the biggest stat padder in the league upset over a young guy getting his two extra points that he deserved.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

No one's there to make friends. Plus, Westbrook was just deflecting his frustration.

Plus, it ain't over till it's over, so dunk away.

[ozgod]

Was Westbrook right to be angry that Basely dunked the ball after a steal?
We saw Beal miss two layups in a row, so if the guy wants to dunk and make sure, why not?
LA was down by 5 with 4 seconds left, but they had the ball and they sort of didn't stop playing.
Are you really supposed to care how the other team feels while there is still time in the game? Your instincts just tell you to keep playing.

Westbrook should have been angry at the Rondo for throwing a lazy pass.

I never understood these so called "unwritten rules" when it comes to professional sport. Don't flip the bat, don't admire your home run, don't run up the score, don't do last minute hotdog plays. I think those evolved from amateur and school play, where you had schools that were loaded and playing schools that were trash (e.g. Duke vs Boston University) and there was nothing they could do to stop the carnage. I can see how that would be disrespectful in that case because it's a mismatch from the beginning.

But in professional sport these players are all getting paid millions to play the game. The Fakers have a $156m payroll. Westbrook himself is getting paid $44m this year. They have the ability to try and stop the other team from scoring. Just because Russ decided to give up on the game doesn't mean the other team should. He shouldn't expect anyone to kiss his backside and go easy on him just because they are losing. These are big moments for the other team too, some of them are playing for contracts or careers or roster spots. Bazley was well within his rights to dunk on Russell's head. Russ is just mad that he turned the ball over 10 times.

[Csfan1984]

I prefer guys play the whole game the same way. And if it's a guy without a big contact yet get those two points and help your stats whenever you can.

[LilRip]

There was technically nothing wrong with the dunk. But then again, why do people get upset when other players go the locker room early and don’t shake hands? Why did fans get mad when Kyrie wiped his shoe on the logo?

Pretty much the same reason. It’s “disrespectful”, even if there’s technically nothing wrong with any of those things.

[jambr380]

There was technically nothing wrong with the dunk. But then again, why do people get upset when other players go the locker room early and don’t shake hands? Why did fans get mad when Kyrie wiped his shoe on the logo?

Pretty much the same reason. It’s “disrespectful”, even if there’s technically nothing wrong with any of those things.

I generally agree, but the Kyrie thing was more bizarre than anything else. It's like he was  ashamed of what he was doing and didn't want anybody to see. If he had gone all TO on the Cowboys star, it would have caused a much bigger outcry, but at least it would have provided some entertainment value.

[moiso]

There was technically nothing wrong with the dunk. But then again, why do people get upset when other players go the locker room early and don’t shake hands? Why did fans get mad when Kyrie wiped his shoe on the logo?

Pretty much the same reason. It’s “disrespectful”, even if there’s technically nothing wrong with any of those things.

I generally agree, but the Kyrie thing was more bizarre than anything else. It's like he was  ashamed of what he was doing and didn't want anybody to see. If he had gone all TO on the Cowboys star, it would have caused a much bigger outcry, but at least it would have provided some entertainment value.

Strange take on the Irving thing.  He announced before the game that has was worried that Boston fans would show subtle racism and then went out of his way to attempt to get the reaction that he wanted.  He didn't look ashamed to me at all but if he was it was because he knew he shouldn't be doing what he did.

[CelticsWhat35]

Westbrook was 100% trying to deflect attention from the embarrassing, pathetic collapse that the Lakers had.  They were still trying at the end, so for him to get upset about a guy making a great defensive play and finish it off is so weak.