Russell Westbrook says fans are harassing family as Lakers continue to struggle

Lakers guard Russell Westbrook mentioned he doesn’t need relations, even his younger kids, to attend Lakers video games due to the issues they could hear.

The admission got here Monday night time after the Lakers misplaced 117-110 to the Spurs in San Antonio. Earlier within the day, his spouse Nina despatched a series of tweets detailing her anger with threats and harassment. And within the third quarter with the Spurs, Westbrook had an interplay with a fan the place he shouted “don’t disrespect my title.”

It’s the newest situation in a season filled with them for the Lakers, who once more have been compelled to play with out LeBron James due to knee soreness, serving to price the Lakers their shot at consecutive wins for the primary time since Jan. 7.

The Lakers hope James can play Wednesday in Houston.

The difficulty for Westbrook and his household seems to be using “Westbrick” on tv by personalities, together with Fox Sports activities’ Skip Bayless. Nina Westbrook tweeted at Bayless on Friday, saying she was offended.

She additionally despatched a collection of tweets Monday, together with one the place she wrote she’s “being harassed every day over basketball video games, and I’m having obscenity’s [sic] and demise needs for me and my household despatched my manner.”

“I, 100%, stand behind my spouse and the way she’s feeling,” Westbrook mentioned. “It’s not nearly this 12 months. Proper now, she’s reached a degree and my household has reached a degree the place it’s actually weighing on them. And it’s very unlucky, only for me personally, as a result of that is only a sport. That is only a sport. This isn’t finish all, be all.

“In terms of basketball, I don’t thoughts the criticism of lacking and making photographs. However the second it turns into the place my title is getting shamed, it turns into a problem. I’ve form of let it go prior to now as a result of it by no means actually bothered me. However, it actually form of hit me the opposite day.”

Westbrook mentioned he and his spouse attended a parent-teacher convention for his or her 4-year-old son Noah, when the trainer remarked how a lot he favored utilizing his final title.

“The trainer instructed me, ‘Noah, he’s so happy with his final title. He writes it in all places. He writes it on the whole lot. He tells all people and walks round and says, ‘I’m Westbrook,’” he mentioned. “… And I form of sat there in shock and it hit me like, ‘Rattling. I can now not permit folks.’ ‘Westbrick’ for instance, to me, is now shaming. It’s shaming my title, my legacy for my children.”

In his first 12 months with the Lakers, his hometown workforce, Westbrook’s been an on-court disappointment.

He’s averaging 18.1 factors, 7.6 rebounds and seven.2 assists on 43.3% taking pictures from the sector and 28.2% taking pictures from three-point vary. The Lakers fell eight video games under .500 following Monday’s loss.

“I haven’t performed something to anyone. I haven’t damage anybody. I haven’t performed something however play basketball a manner that individuals won’t like,” Westbrook mentioned. “And that is only a sport. Only a sport. This isn’t my whole life. I believe that’s the last word factor that’s been for me. I don’t wish to harp on it or need it on the market. However as soon as it begins to have an effect on my household, my spouse. Even as we speak, my mother mentioned one thing about it as we speak.

“It impacts them even going to video games. Like, I don’t even wish to carry my children to the sport as a result of I don’t need them to listen to folks calling their dad nicknames and different names for no purpose as a result of he’s enjoying the sport that he loves.

“And it’s gotten so dangerous the place my household don’t even wish to go to house video games, to any sport.”

On the ground Monday, the Lakers’ season operated in typical style — the workforce falling behind by double digits earlier than clawing again and making the sport tight, solely to fall brief down the stretch.

Following James’ 56-point efficiency Saturday in opposition to the Warriors, any hopes for momentum have been misplaced in an 18-point fourth quarter for a workforce that desperately missed its main scorer.

“One step ahead, one step again,” Malik Monk mentioned. “One step ahead, one step again. 5 steps again, a pair steps ahead. Hold doing the identical factor, man.”

Early Monday, the person who’s quickly to be the NBA’s winningest coach ever, Gregg Popovich, known as a timeout and did one thing unconventional. He walked immediately from his bench throughout the courtroom and gestured towards a fan within the second row and motioned for him to get within the sport.

That fan? Corridor of Famer David Robinson. Monday, he didn’t want him in opposition to the Lakers.

The Spurs’ win ties Popovich with Don Nelson for essentially the most NBA teaching wins with 1,335 regular-season victories.

Talen Horton-Tucker led the Lakers with 18 factors and Carmelo Anthony, Westbrook and Monk all scored 17 within the loss, the workforce left to battle with Anthony Davis and James on the bench in avenue garments.

“Each time we win and get some momentum, one thing occurs,” Westbrook mentioned.