Russell Westbrook Snubs Ja Morant’s Praises

After Ja Morant stated that Russell Westbrook isn’t receiving the credit he deserves concerning his game, the former MVP kind of snubbed that statement. After hearing what the young rookie commented, Westbrook didn’t react as many would, but instead coldly replied that he doesn’t mind about the opinion of others.

“I don’t really care what nobody else thinks about my game,” Westbrook said.

He would then say that he welcomes what Morant and others tell, but that as long as he feels ok with his game, everything is fine.

“I appreciate guys like [Morant] and other guys, but as long as I’m OK and satisfied with what I bring to the table, I’m going to keep busting everybody’s ass,” Westbrook added.

Grizzlies and Rockets met last night in Houston, and the hosts were more than routine against the young team from Tennessee, 140-112. Westbrook had 33 points, with 9 boards, 8 assists, and four steals. He was shooting 15-for-24 from the field.

Following the match, Morant stated that nobody realizes what Westbrook does.

“People take his play for granted. I mean, he averaged a triple-double for the last three or four years, and I’m pretty sure they see what he’s doing this year, but it’s still the same thing,” Morant told the journalists.

Houston’s guard and one of the people who wrote the history of the NBA dramatically increased his productivity and impact on the game over the recent two months. After Mike D’Antoni decided to switch fully to the small-ball philosophy, his numbers are excellent, and over the previous five games, he had four of them with 30 or more points.

“He has more spacing, he has shooters around him, all he has to do is to go out there and be Russell Westbrook, and he is doing that,” James Harden explained what is the key to Russ’ performances lately.

In the meantime, young Morant scored just 12 points, with shooting 5-for-13, posting nine assists in 28 minutes, and experiencing what is like to go against one of the toughest and most energetic players in the last decade. However, he also experienced what Westbrook’s manners are and what he is all about off the court.

Houston (38-20) is 8-2 over the last ten games, and right now have four straight wins. Up next, they have two stops at the East Coast, the first one against the Celtics at the TD Garden, and the second in New York against the Knicks. Afterward, they meet the Clippers at home.

Right now, they are one game behind Doc Rivers’ side, and the next few matches might be very important for their position in the standings. The situation in the West is very complicated. Apart from the Lakers who are first and have five games over the second-placed Nuggets, nobody is safe. Denver is one game ahead of the Clippers, so pretty much the battle for that second place and the advantage of the home court in the conference semifinals is open.

Meanwhile, Morant and the Grizzlies are holding the last spot, which leads to the playoffs, 2.5 games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers. However, both Portland and the New Orleans Pelicans are on the rise, which means that the Grizzlies need to be on alert and push as hard as they can. One little slip might cost them a lot.