The Los Angeles Lakers got embarrassed by the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-83 on Friday night.
As if that margin of victory and Karl-Anthony Towns’ flagrant mocking of them wasn’t enough, LA suffered another indignity when a team reporter called out Russell Westbrook publicly on social media.
What specifically irked said reporter?
Westbrook’s repeated disrespectful acts.
Call me crazy, but I think it’s just a bit disrespectful to look at your phone during an entire postgame interview, especially after getting blown out. Just me, I guess. Manners. What a concept.
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) November 13, 2021
Fan reaction to the criticism seemed mixed:
Nor is it fun to wait for players, transcribe what they say and then write stories until 2 am. Respect goes both ways.
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) November 13, 2021
Birthdays aren’t 365 FYI. You’d care if it impacted your job every other night.
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) November 13, 2021
Call me crazy. But respect is a 2 way street. Can’t ask for something you aren’t giving. Let the man enjoy his birthday and stop being problematic
— Milly (@Hoodie_Milly) November 13, 2021
It’s also disrespectful to go on twitter & talk about a person u just saw instead of addressing your issues towards them in person, man to man. Call me crazy but
— Alontrae (@Alontrae3) November 13, 2021
After the loss, Lakers big man Anthony Davis went to great lengths to talk about how ‘embarrassed’ he was by how his squad looked. He also reiterated they weren’t going to win a championship playing like they’re playing right now.
Scottie Pippen kept it real on Larsa. https://t.co/yRYNac03ry
— Game 7 (@game7__) November 11, 2021
In the grand scheme of all of LA’s problems, ticked off reporters doesn’t rank high. But it’s still one more headache for a group that can’t quite seem to get it together on the basketball court.
Related: Steve Sarkisian’s Stunning Admission Amid Texas’ Latest Loss (Video)
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
