Ranking the 5 worst losses of Russell Westbrook's NBA career so far

Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers
Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers

#3 31-point loss against the Houston Rockets in Round 1 Game 1 of the 2017 NBA playoffs

Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder rebounds a ball after Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets shot
Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder rebounds a ball after Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets shot

Russell Westbrook joined the Houston Rockets in 2019, but before that, he had endured one of his worst losses at their hands. The Thunder finished sixth in the Western Conference standings during the 2016-17 season and had to square off against the 3rd-placed James Harden and the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs.

It seemed like there was nothing Russell Westbrook could do to help his team advance to the next round. He registered 22 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in Game 1 but still lost the game by 31 points. While it might not seem like much based on the earlier statement, a 51-point triple-double for Russ in Game 2 still resulted in a loss for the Thunder.

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The OKC Thunder were kicked out of the tournament after five games in the first round. Russell Westbrook averaged 37.4 points, 11.6 rebounds and 10.8 assists in that series but could muster only one win.


#2 32-point loss against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the 2016 playoffs WCS

Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder goes to the hoop against Manu Ginobili #20 of the San Antonio Spurs
Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder goes to the hoop against Manu Ginobili #20 of the San Antonio Spurs

The OKC Thunder decimated the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2016 NBA playoffs, losing only one game by a 1-point margin and winning the Games 3 to 5 by comfortable double-digit margins. Unfortunately, their streak ended when they faced the San Antonio Spurs in the conference semi-finals.

The Spurs gave Russell Westbrook and the Thunder a taste of their medicine, taking Game 1 with a 32-point margin. The triple-double king ended the game with 14 points, nine assists and two rebounds.


#1 35-point loss against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the 2014 playoffs WCF

Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs goes up for a shot in front of Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder
Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs goes up for a shot in front of Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder

The Spurs were once again responsible for ending the Thunder's run in the playoffs. Russell Westbrook and Co. had successfully reached the conference finals after defeating the LA Clippers but they could not get past Tim Duncan and his compatriots.

After losing Game 1, the Thunder started Game 2 on a high note with a first-quarter lead. But they soon lost their way as they went into intermission, 14 points behind. Russell Westbrook was the joint highest-scorer on the team with 15 points, but they lost the game 112-77 in what has been the highest losing matchup of his career.

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Edited by Rohit Mishra
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