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“Extremely Scary”: Former NBA Champion Sends a Word of Caution Ahead of Russel Westbrook’s Return Against OKC

Published 08/29/2020, 3:34 PM EDT

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Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder are locked in at 2-2 in their first-round series. With a crucial game ahead, the Rockets are boosted by the return of Russell Westbrook. The 2x scoring champion endured a quad injury that kept him out of for action six games inside the bubble.

‘Brodie’ will make his 2020 playoff debut in Game 5, but he has been nothing short of inspirational during the previous games as well. Westbrook has been extremely proactive from the bench in the first four games, demonstrating extraordinary team spirit and setting an example for everyone.

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OKC can’t take Westbrook lightly owing to the fact that he’s coming back from an injury. The nine-time All-Star can certainly create an impact in the limited minutes that he might get today.

NBA veteran Caron Butler has issued a precautionary statement of warning to the Thunder ahead of Game 5. “A lot changes…because you have another guy that’s more than capable of imposing his will on the defense, which can make it extremely scary,” said Butler, talking about Westbrook’s entry into the series.

Butler has competed in the league for several years and has faced off against Westbrook as well. Thus, he knows what kind of a challenge Brodie can bring with him to the court.

Westbrook returning to the team is certainly a major confidence boost for the Rockets. With the series hanging thin at two wins apiece, the 31-year-old can be the difference in contributing to Houston’s triumph.

Houston Rockets hype up the return of Russell Westbrook

Ahead of Game 5, the Rockets set the tone for the game by announcing Westbrook’s return from injury. He’s been an instrumental part in the team’s success this, averaging 27.2 points in the regular season.

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To commemorate Westbrook’s return to the team, the Houston Rockets posted an eye-catching video on Instagram. “Today. Brodie. Back.” the post read, hyping up fans for the upcoming games.

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The playoffs inspire great players to step up and perform. Undoubtedly, Russell Westbrook is a postseason veteran, carrying plenty of experience behind his back. The 6’3″ point guard has a career average of 25.4 points in the playoffs, and almost eight assists a game.

 

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𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞. 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤.

A post shared by Houston Rockets (@houstonrockets) on

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Game 5 will not be a compelling Russell Westbrook return, as he is bound to be under restricted minutes. If James Harden can lead the Rockets to victory tonight, plenty of momentum will transfer in their favor, gearing them up well for the next game.

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Written by:

Arjun Athreya

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Arjun Athreya is a senior writer at Essentially Sports and has been contributing since early 2020. Having developed an avid interest in sports at an early age, he pursued a Journalism degree and graduated from Madras Christian College. Arjun manages the Golf division and its content, and primarily covers news pertaining to the NBA as well.
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