A couple of days shy of the three-year anniversary of their initial tussle, Russell Westbrook revived his long-standing beef with the Denver Nuggets’ mascot Tuesday night.
Westbroook didn’t appreciate Rocky getting a little too close for comfort during the game, and exchanged some not-so-friendly words with the playful mascot.
The Rocky, Russell Westbrook rivalry will never die!!! https://t.co/BIGv3lryre
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 20, 2016
Russ had the final laugh, however, as the OKC Thunder enjoyed a 110-104 road win.
Per The Oklahoman:
Rocky, Westbrook rivalry lives: Toward the end of a Thunder loss in Denver more than two years ago, a perturbed Russell Westbrook raised up and swatted away a meaningless halfcourt timeout shot from Nuggets mascot Rocky.
It was just a ticked off Westbrook taking out a bit of frustration. But more than two years later, that decision lingers as the spark-point of one of the strangest rivalries in the NBA. Westbrook seems like he’d love to just brush it off, but Rocky, as mascots are expected to do, has turned it into a bit of a fun spectacle. The first time Westbrook returned after the infamous block, Rocky had a team of bodyguards barricading Westbrook from the lane. Every time since, Rocky has paraded around the arena staring Westbrook down and playing the beef up. I covered a game back in December of 2013. Here was the scene moments before tip-off. As the players were getting ready, Rocky, in a cape, strolls onto the court and stares Westbrook down.
Then on Tuesday night, there was video of Rocky invading Westbrook’s personal space again, with Westbrook having no trouble back-talking his stuffed nemesis. […] But Rocky’s antics may have had a negative impact on his team. Right after this dust-up, Westbrook proceeded to drop an angry-looking, three-pronged dunksplosion on Denver.
