Westbrook has confrontation with Suns fan in arena halls: ‘Watch your mouth, motherf****’

It invites disaster to have a common cut-through to the visitor’s locker room in Phoenix’s Footprint Center run through a Suns’ fan lounge.

The seemingly inevitable came to a head Sunday night, during an intense playoff game, when Russell Westbrook and a Suns’ fan had a verbal confrontation in that area, with Westbrook saying, “Watch your mouth, motherf****, watch your mouth” in front of a couple of children. The fan told Westbrook to “take it like a grown-up,” and as Westbrook returned to the court someone yelled for Westbrook to “talk about it, be about it.”

Both the NBA and the Suns are investigating the incident. However, Chris Haynes of TNT/Bleacher Report says it is highly unlikely Westbrook faces any kind of suspension for the incident.

Here is a video of the incident, but be warned the language is NSFW.

“Watch your mouth motherf**ker”

Russell Westbrook to a Suns fan tonight: pic.twitter.com/EptuScWxjI

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) April 17, 2023

Good job by Clippers’ security man to be between the sides.

It is unclear at what point in the game, or after, this confrontation took place. Westbrook had a couple of crucial offensive rebounds plus a blocked shot on Devin Booker at the end of the game that helped seal the Clippers’ win on the road.

The best explanation of the situation comes from Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic.

I'm sure you've seen the Russell Westbrook/#Suns fan interaction by now, but visiting players have been going through the club area to the visiting lockerroom all season.

It's been used as a short cut to the visiting lockerroom. #ClipperNation #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/HGpOUu0105

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) April 17, 2023

This brings us back to the first point — why are the Suns