Tension escalated during Game 2 between the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers, as Russell Westbrook limped off the court with an apparent ankle injury.
Westbrook was injured as he was being defended by 76ers guard Furkan Korkmaz. He fell and pounded the floor in frustration as Korkmaz corralled the basketball for the turnover.
Westbrook had to be assisted off the court by trainers with the Wizards trailing by 17 in the fourth quarter. Just as he was heading back to the locker room to be further evaluated, a fan among the ruckus Wells Fargo Arena threw popcorn on Westbrook.
A heated Westbrook had to be held back by arena security in the tunnel.
The tensed moment harked back to a 2019 incident in which while with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Westbrook had an encounter against a Utah Jazz fan.
The 76ers went on to win the game 120-95 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. While much of the attention will turn to the fan throwing popcorn on him, the Wizards’ focus will surely be more on the health of it’s star point guard.
