Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & TÅ«rangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Basketball: Kiwi Steven Adams and former teammate Russell Westbrook argue during NBA playoff game

NZ Herald
25 Aug, 2020 01:30 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Kiwi Steven Adams and former teammate Russell Westbrook argued during the Thunders' NBA playoff win over the Rockets. Photo / Twitter

Kiwi Steven Adams and former teammate Russell Westbrook argued during the Thunders' NBA playoff win over the Rockets. Photo / Twitter

Kiwi NBA player Steven Adams had a few choice words for an old teammate and one of the game's biggest stars, during the Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff win over the Houston Rockets.

The fifth-seeded Thunder squared up the series 2-2 with the fourth-seeded Rockets, with Adams posting 12 points and eight rebounds in their 117-114 win.

The series marks an extra special matchup, with both teams having completed a trade prior to the season's tip-off which saw former MVP Russell Westbrook dealt to the Rockets.

Westbrook spent 11 years with the Thunder, the final six alongside Adams, with the pair helping guide the franchise to five playoff appearances in six years.

However, early in game four of the first round series in Orlando, Adams appeared to have a problem with Westbrook - who didn't play due to a quad injury - hanging around the sidelines.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Russell Westbrook and Steven Adams exchanging some words during a timeout 👀

🎥: @TheHoopCentral https://t.co/iskHb4sli6

— USA TODAY NBA (@usatodaynba) August 24, 2020

Russ going back and forth with Thunder players during timeout. Unclear what was said. pic.twitter.com/bZs91KhQne

— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) August 24, 2020

Steven Adams and Russell Westbrook chirping at each other during the timeout. Not sure what it was about. Looked like Adams told Westbrook he was a little too close to the Thunder bench while lodging complaints with the officials.

— Royce Young (@royceyoung) August 24, 2020

The altercation slightly contradicts the strong friendship the two have. Adams appeared on a podcast with ESPN's Zach Lowe late last year, saying Westbrook alerted him of his trade to the Rockets beforehand, and 'their friendship stretches further than business'.

Russ and Adams jawin'? Westbrook respects Adams a bunch. That was odd ... #Thunder

— Jenni Carlson (@JenniCarlson_OK) August 24, 2020

Oklahoma City came from as many as 15 points down, and traded blows with Houston down the stretch, before ultimately winning by three points, extending the series to at least six games.

Westbrook is a possibility of returning for the remainder of the series, which will likely bring any spice from the sidelines onto the court.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Game five of the NBA playoff matchup is on Thursday.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Rotorua Daily Post

'Biggest summer of cricket' shapes up for Bay Oval

25 Jun 07:00 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

Small but mighty: Kyro gets set for Tai Mitchell challenge

24 Jun 09:26 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

Three tests, surplus of Twenty20s as Black Caps summer fixtures announced

24 Jun 06:00 PM

Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

'Biggest summer of cricket' shapes up for Bay Oval

'Biggest summer of cricket' shapes up for Bay Oval

25 Jun 07:00 PM

Seven internationals are scheduled for the upcoming season.

Small but mighty: Kyro gets set for Tai Mitchell challenge

Small but mighty: Kyro gets set for Tai Mitchell challenge

24 Jun 09:26 PM
Three tests, surplus of Twenty20s as Black Caps summer fixtures announced

Three tests, surplus of Twenty20s as Black Caps summer fixtures announced

24 Jun 06:00 PM
'Crazy couple of days': Chiefs most represented club in All Blacks squad after losing final

'Crazy couple of days': Chiefs most represented club in All Blacks squad after losing final

24 Jun 06:00 PM
There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently
sponsored

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP