Westbrook, who lost to the Thunder, tried his best. He lost the tiebreak battle in the old club, and there is no regret.

On May 19, in the first round of the Western Conference tiebreak in the 2025 NBA playoffs, the Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-118, ending this dramatic series. In this game, Russell Westbrook played for 42 minutes, scoring 28 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists, and almost saved the suspense of the game to the last moment alone. When the final whistle sounded, Westbrook looked up at the scoreboard with both reluctance and relief - the 36-year-old veteran had indeed given all his money.

Facing with his old club Thunder who has played for 11 seasons, Westbrook has shown a moving professional spirit in this series. In the crucial sixth game, it was his explosive performance of 15 points in the last quarter that dragged the series into tiebreak. In the tiebreak final, when Paul George was trapped and fouled and Kawhi Leonard had not healed a knee injury, Westbrook took the initiative to carry the offensive banner, and made continuous attacks on the inside in the third quarter, scoring 14 points in a single quarter to help the Clippers keep the score tight. In the last 1 minute and 37 seconds of the game, he even completed a signature tomahawk slash, narrowing the gap to 2 points, igniting the entire crypto network arena.

This series is an emotional roller coaster for Westbrook. As one of the greatest players in the history of the Thunder, he won the MVP here and set an epic record of 42 triple-doubles in a single season. His No. 0 jersey is still hanging outside the stadium. During the warm-up before the game, the tribute video played on the big screen on the spot made the tough guy's eyes red. When he hit a key three-pointer in G3 away, some Thunder fans stood up and applauded - this contradictory emotional intertwined just reflects Westbrook's special status in this city. "I will always love Oscar City, but my mission tonight is to fight for the Clippers. " Westbrook's words in the post-G6 interview revealed the truest mood of professional players.

From a technical perspective, Westbrook completed a surprising transformation in this round of the series. Facing the wheel defense of the Thunder young defenders, he took the initiative to reduce inefficient mid-range jump shots and instead used his experience to create fouls (average of 8.4 free throws per game). What's even more rare is that when the opponent gave up his three-pointers, Westbrook made the most 12 three-pointers in the series with a shooting percentage of 37.5%, of which G6's four three-pointers all came from the final moments. On the defensive end, he interfered with his opponent's shooting 9.2 times per game, and his opponent's shooting percentage was suppressed to 41.3%, which was completely different from a veteran who had been fighting for 17 years.

Clippers coach Tyron Lu emphasized in the post-match press conference: "Russell is the reason why we can get to where we are today. When everyone is discussing his age, he proves that the mentality of top competitors will never fade. "The data shows that when Westbrook is on the court, the Clippers' net efficiency value is +7.3, and when he rests 26 minutes, the team lost 19 points to the Thunder. This influence is particularly evident in G7 - within just 3 minutes after Westbrook's rest at the end of the third quarter, the Thunder launched an 11-0 offensive to turn the situation around.

Thunder coach Dagenut's 20-second hug with Westbrook became a classic picture. The assistant coach who once coached Westbrook admitted: "Every round of defense is a torment. You know he wants to break through, but you can't stop it." The Thunder's new core Homgren said: "He taught us what playoff intensity is, and those tough 2+1 layups are not learned in textbooks. Interestingly, Westbrook's tied layup in the last moment of G7 was blocked by the 22-year-old star. This drama of inheritance and replacement constitutes the most moving narrative in the NBA.

From a more macro perspective, this series may mark the end of an era in the NBA. When new generations of stars such as Alexander and Jewish began to dominate the arena, veterans such as Westbrook, Durant, and Curry are still proving the value of traditional basketball wisdom. Famous commentator Stephen A. Smith pointed out in the show: "Westbrook lost the game, but won respect. He taught young people a lesson with the tough basketball of the old era - a real superstar would burn himself in the playoffs. "

In the locker room, Westbrook received ice naked and was photographed by a reporter with the team, and the scars left by the 2009 surgery on his back are still clearly visible. When asked if he would consider retiring, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "As long as I can still run, I will continue to fight. This is not the end, but a new starting point." According to sources, the Clippers management is ready to offer a two-year, 20 million contract extension, hoping that the locker room leader can help the team through the reconstruction period.

Looking back at this story-filled series, Westbrook and Thunder have long surpassed the scope of ordinary competition. When his last moment throwing bombs came out, a scattered "We love Russ" shout could be heard vaguely in the cheers of the Chesapeake Energy Arena. This complex emotional resonance may be the ultimate romance of competitive sports - it must not only have a bayonet showdown, but also have a respect for mutual appreciation. As the Thunder official Twitter wrote after the game: "The legend will never fade, No. 0 will always belong to the city of Russia." For Westbrook, leaving the battlefield with dignity may be the most perfect way for veterans to finish off.