Sacramento Kings fans could finally exhale Sunday night as the team snapped its five-game losing streak and avoided falling to a franchise–record–tying 6–23 start. Once again, Russell Westbrook delivered in the clutch, and his impact didn’t stop on the court.
Westbrook arrived at the postgame podium smiling and quickly went viral after a hilarious exchange with a reporter.
Russell Westbrook Lightens the Mood After Kings Snap Losing Streak
“We needed that,” a smiling Westbrook said as he arrived at the postgame podium after delivering a vintage performance. The veteran guard finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and two steals while shooting 8-of-24 from the field and 5-of-12 from three-point range in 29 minutes.
The Kings erased a 14-point deficit with under 10 minutes remaining, leaning on Westbrook and fellow offseason addition Dennis Schröder to come up big in the clutch. The duo hit timely shots late in regulation and overtime to help Sacramento (7–22) secure a much-needed win.
Westbrook struggled for much of the night but delivered when it mattered most, drilling a clutch three-pointer in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to force overtime. Schröder then took over in the extra period, scoring nine points to seal the victory.
With his stat line, the 37-year-old Westbrook became the oldest guard in NBA history to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five three-pointers in a single game. When a reporter attempted to praise him postgame by calling him “one of the better or the best rebounding guards,” Westbrook initially looked confused.
After the reporter clarified and called him the best outright, Westbrook smiled and replied, “There you go…don’t play around with it,” drawing laughs from the room.
“Obviously you’re one of the better or the best rebounding guard”
Russ: “I didn’t hear you”
“The best”
Russ: “There you go…don’t play around with it” 😂 pic.twitter.com/0aJsiUO3N3
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) December 22, 2025
Whether labeled the best or not, Westbrook’s résumé speaks for itself. He owns the NBA record for most triple-doubles in league history with 207, a mark he has held since 2021. Trailing him on the all-time list is Oscar Robertson, who holds the second spot with 181, while Nikola Jokić currently sits third with 176 and could challenge the record in the coming years.
Despite Sacramento’s struggles this season, Westbrook has been consistently productive. Through 29 games, he is averaging 14.0 points on 42.8% shooting from the field and 35.1% from beyond the arc, along with 6.9 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
The win improved the Kings to 7–22, placing them 14th in the Western Conference. After facing the Houston Rockets, Sacramento returns home Tuesday night to host Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons.
