“Don’t want no problems gangsta”: Russell Westbrook & Kevin Durant rekindle fond memories with playful jab during Suns-Clippers clash

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant spent eight years together playing for the OKC Thunder between 2008 and 2016. During this period, the Thunder were a title contender in the Western Conference. They became rivals once Durant decided to move to the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2016.

Durant won two straight championships with Golden State (2017, 2018), and the two megastars have played against each other several times since then. On Monday, Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns visited LA to take on Russell Westbrook and the Clippers.

During the game, Durant and Westbrook shared a funny moment and rekindled fond memories with the Clippers bench enjoying their playful jab.

"I am coming," Westbrook said. "I don’t want no problems gangsta," Durant responded.

During their time with the Thunder, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook emerged as megastars and this was the case with James Harden as well, who left the Thunder in 2012.

Durant, Westbrook and Harden had created a Big Three in OKC and shared the floor on Monday for the first time since 2016 when Harden was playing for the Houston Rockets.

Russell Westbrook said defense is the key for Clippers' title aspirations

Russell Westbrook and the LA Clippers have found their rhythm and continue to play consistent basketball on both ends. Coming off their 138-111 blowout home victory over the Suns, they have now won six of their past seven games and seven of their past 10.

After the arrival of James Harden and their early struggles, the Clippers turned things around and are now just 2.5 games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves, who hold the top spot in the West (25-10 to 23-13).

The Clippers have the ninth-best defensive rating in the NBA with 113.0 points per 100 possessions. Russell Westbrook made it clear that defense will be the key for the Clippers if they want to win the championship.

"Our defense is gonna win us games. Not just that, it’s gonna have an opportunity to win championships. Every night, I wanna lead by my defense, and I want our guys to do the same," the former NBA MVP said, via Sports Illustrated.

Russell Westbrook is coming off the bench for the Clippers this season and this move helped the franchise build chemistry and turn things around. Westbrook hasn't missed any game so far and has averages of 10.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 4.6 apg.

For his part, Kevin Durant has played 30 of Phoenix's first 37 games and has averages of 29.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 5.9 apg, on 47.4% shooting from beyond the arc.

The Suns continue to deal with ups and downs amid injury woes and chemistry issues (19-18 record), but they are hopeful they will turn things around with their Big Three (Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal) now healthy.