HoopsHype.com Rumors

The NBA announced the official lineup of the 2013 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, which will take place at the Sprint Arena on Friday, Feb. 15, during NBA All-Star Jam Session at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. NBA All-Stars James Harden of the host Houston Rockets and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder will serve as the West and East team coaches, respectively. For the ninth straight year, ESPN will televise the game beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Fans can also view the game through NBA GameTime from Sprint application, available on Android and iOS, as well as via WatchESPN on computers, tablets, and phones. NBA.com

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Clyde Drexler, Dikembe Mutombo, Bruce Bowen, Sean Elliott, All Star Game 

Darnell Mayberry: I'm hearing Russell Westbrook will not be among the participants in this year's slam dunk contest. Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook, All Star Game 

Darnell Mayberry: Westbrook recently expressed interest in joining the contest "before it's too late" but called his participation this year "up in the air." Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook, All Star Game 

Here are some reactions from national media on the Westbrook incident: TNT analyst Kenny Smith: “The (team) chemistry is fragile. I hate to walk around the locker room on eggshells when a guy does something like this. Now you can't act natural around this guy for a couple days, and that really messes your team's morale up.” TNT analyst Shaquille O'Neal: “Westbrook is one of the leaders of the team. In order to be a great leader, you have to be a great listener. He messed up. … He's wrong. He knows he's wrong. You move on.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Shaquille O'Neal, Russell Westbrook, Kenny Smith 

The Oklahoma City Thunder point guard went off without any good explanation during Thursday's 106-89 win against the Memphis Grizzlies. He had been called for a five-second violation while posting up Grizzlies guard Jerryd Bayless, and apparently he pinned the violation on teammate Thabo Sefolosha. Now Sefolosha's cut to the basket was ill-timed, but Westbrook got steaming mad in the moment. Coach Scott Brooks pulled him from the game, leaving him to stew even more. "I decided to take Russell out because we needed to calm down," Brooks said. "Russell went in the back. It was nothing. He just had to regroup. … It was nothing that has not happened before — not just with him, with all of our guys." USA Today Sports

Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook, Scott Brooks, Thabo Sefolosha 

Westbrook on what happened with Thabo: “Nothing, just a little miscommunication." Twitter

Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook, Scott Brooks, Thabo Sefolosha 

Brooks and everybody in the locker room defended Westbrook. No surprise there. They always do. It’d be news if they didn’t. It’d also would probably be a death sentence for anybody not named Kevin Durant who did. Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Scott Brooks, Thabo Sefolosha 

Nick Collison sounded like he was practicing his lines in the mirror before defending Westbrook. As soon as he was asked about the incident, he was ready. “We lost a lot of veteran guys here. We lost Derek (Fisher). We lost Nazr (Mohammed) and Royal (Ivey). And the reason we’ve been able to keep up and go — we made a big trade earlier in the year — is because of what Russell and what Kevin have done as leaders. They’ve been great this year. They’ve grown up a lot, their voice with the team and they’ve done it with their play, too. I didn’t see what happened tonight. But I know those guys deserve a lot of credit, Russ in particular. He’s grown up a lot. We’re going to be fine. He’s had a great year.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Nick Collison, Russell Westbrook, Scott Brooks, Thabo Sefolosha 

Darnell Mayberry: Westbrook on his dust-up w/ Kobe: "He pushed me. That's what happened. I just got pushed... Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook 

Darnell Mayberry: Westbrook cont.: "I don't mind talking. But I don't like nobody putting their hands on me." Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook 

Russell Westbrook arrived at the Staples Center for Sunday’s Thunder-Lakers game looking like an extra from Back to the Future II. If we later learn that said arrival involved a hoverboard, a beef with Biff, and Marty McFly’s dizzying Nike’s, few will be surprised. That shirt either cost Westbrook $2,000, or he made it in his hotel room this morning as part of his latest arts and crafts assignment. The Big Lead

Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook 

Kevin Durant: Congrats to @Russell Westbrook and @James Harden for being NBA All stars!! Yesssiiirr Twitter @KDTrey5

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, All Star Game 

It doesn't work that way anymore. This time 11 points in seven minutes turned into 13 points in 32 minutes. Martin isn't the first-option scorer on this Oklahoma City Thunder team. He's not even the first-option Kevin. That would be Mr. Durant, who had a game-high 32 points in the Thunder's 109-97 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday night. And don't forget about Russell Westbrook, who had 26 points of his own. "When your two big dogs come back in, you just go back to your third-man role," Martin said. "I accepted it. This is probably the happiest I've been in my career since my Sacramento days." ESPN.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Martin 

Instead they're a game ahead of last season's pace after 42 games. Martin can stake a claim in the best record in the league, if for no other reason than he didn't burst like a water balloon from the pressure of replacing the popular Harden. "Man," Martin said, exhaling at the memory of his arrival in Oklahoma City. "People really don't understand that. Especially a trade like that. It's going to be under a microscope. Them getting to the [NBA] Finals, just having good team chemistry and coming in and knowing you've got to be a big part of what they do now. "It's tough. But I think that's where my personality comes in. Just staying level, don't get too high, don't get too low, just be confident in what you did over the last eight years in the league. Coming in, trying to fit in and not mess up." ESPN.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Martin 

See, SuperMascot Rocky shoots backwards halfcourt shots during a fourth-quarter timeout of every game. If he makes one, fans get free Qdoba queso. It’s perhaps the most-popular during- timeout thing they do at Nugget games. Well, Rocky’s final attempt appeared to be going in, but the Thunder’s Russell Westbrook, walking onto the court, jumped up and blocked/goaltended the shot. The arena erupted in boos and fans continued to boo so every time Westbrook touched the basketball. So that was bad enough, right? Rocky returned to midcourt again during the next timeout. And Westbrook, again, caught the shot, this time throwing the ball into the stands (as seen in the video below). The boos became deafening. Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook 

Denver's Ty Lawson said Russell Westbrook now Pepsi Center "villain'' for knocking down 2 mascot Rocky halfct shots “I’ve never seen anybody do that before,’’ Lawson said of a player impeding the attempts by Rocky, which earn fans free queso from a local restaurant if one goes in. “It was kind of funny. We got a villain now. Every come he comes here, we’re going to definitely try to boo him… The fans now have a villain when Russell comes to the Pepsi Center.’’ Sulia

Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook, Ty Lawson 

“Russell made a lot of friends here,” Nuggets coach George Karl said sarcastically, following Denver’s 121-118 win. “He’s a feisty guy who likes to create intensity. I like intensity. I’m sure the next time we’ll have some locker room talk. “I saw him block the shot and then he threw the ball into the crowd. I know in the rule book it says you’re not allowed to throw the ball into the crowd.” Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, George Karl, Russell Westbrook 

Just prepare yourself or whenever it gets to be Russell Westbrook’s turn. Prior to Friday night’s game between the Thunder and the Mavericks, Westbrook was caught on camera singing along to “Die Young” by pop singer Ke$ha. SI.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook 

“We basically lost to Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant,” said Marcin Gortat, who joked the only way to stop KD is by breaking his arm or leg. “These two guys were just outstanding and they played great. Just pick and roll between these two guys is just ridiculous. We were not able to stop these guys, that’s it.” Valley of the Suns

Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant, Marcin Gortat, Russell Westbrook 

Westbrook, a Los Angeles native, has no sympathy for the Lakers. "They're not done. They have a lot more games left, and I'm pretty sure they're going to find a way to get it together," Westbrook said. "Our job is to worry about our team and our organization. It wasn't easy. I just think we did a good job of playing team basketball defensively, and it showed. Kevin took control most of the game." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook