Chapter Seventy-Two: That Was What I Said

So far this season, Russell Westbrook leads all guards in average rebounds per game. Whether it’s battling for offensive boards or protecting the defensive glass, he stands out as the premier rebounder among guards in the league. Regardless of suspicions that he pads his stats, at the very least, his explosive rebounding ability sets him apart from the rest. Even at the Amway Center in Orlando, with the Thunder trailing, Westbrook still led both teams in rebounds—a testament to his obsession with rebounding tonight.

Yet, for all his intensity, Westbrook strangely missed two consecutive defensive rebounds, despite his teammates boxing out for him. “Can you believe this, Sir Charles?” Shaquille O’Neal marveled from the commentary booth. “Michael’s reaction is even quicker than Russell’s, and his hunger for rebounds runs even deeper!” “Honestly, it’s surprising,” Charles Barkley conceded. “Michael Wu goes after rebounds like a starving tiger who hasn’t tasted meat in days. That level of hunger for boards is rare.” “No, guys, in our era, there was another man just like Michael,” Kenny Smith interjected with a smile. “He was a teammate of another Michael.” “Dennis Rodman!” Dennis Rodman—who, like Wu, stood only about 6’7”, yet dominated the paint and won seven consecutive rebounding titles, ultimately earning a place in the Hall of Fame. In his best season, Rodman averaged 18.7 rebounds per game—a staggering figure, especially considering that era was filled with towering seven-footers patrolling the paint. Yet Rodman, at just 6’7”, claimed the rebounding crown year after year, his understanding of rebounding without equal.

Wu, with Rodman’s height and the same relentless drive for rebounds, naturally invites the comparison. Kenny Smith’s allusion to “The Worm” is well-founded. But on the court, Westbrook felt none of this nostalgia—he was in no mood for comparisons, having just seen his triple-double hopes slip away thanks to Wu’s rebounding. Needing only two more boards for a triple-double, Westbrook was visibly frustrated. If not for Wu, he would’ve already reached that milestone. As Wu kicked the ball out to a teammate to reset the offense, Westbrook darted in front of him, determined to punish the rookie with his defense.

“Russell, I told you before: tonight you’ll get no more than a double-double,” Wu said, unfazed by Westbrook’s vengeful defense. “You chose points and assists, so rebounds—forget double digits!” “Who told you that?” Westbrook scoffed, unimpressed, boxing Wu out with his back to the rim, ready to grab another defensive board. “There’s no rule on the court that says I can only get a double-double!”

As the words left his mouth, the Magic missed a two-point shot. The ball ricocheted off the rim, and Westbrook sprang up, having positioned himself perfectly for his ninth rebound. But then, as if on cue, Wu responded with the same familiar trick: using his height advantage, he tipped the ball up, landed, and with a second leap, snatched the offensive rebound. He quickly handed it off to Ibaka, who banked in a hook shot. Wu couldn’t resist firing back at Westbrook, “That rule? I made it up.”

“WoooooW!” The crowd erupted. Thousands of Magic fans leapt to their feet, having witnessed Wu snatch two defensive boards from Westbrook in consecutive possessions earlier. Now, Wu had directly given Orlando a second-chance opportunity—twice, both times at Westbrook’s expense.

“Man, did you see that? Michael jumps higher than the MVP!” “Told you, Michael’s making the MVP look dull!” “Russell Westbrook won’t get his triple-double!” The visiting fans’ roars thundered through the arena, further agitating Westbrook. Frustrated, he attacked, drove hard past the arc, and pulled up for a mid-range jumper, draining two points in response.

“Russell’s gone into attack mode. Though he’s one rebound away from a triple-double, scoring is what matters most right now,” Barkley commented approvingly on Westbrook’s decision. Yet he couldn’t help but add, “But Michael Wu is truly remarkable—I see shades of Dennis Rodman in him.”

“Sir Charles, are you apologizing to young Michael now?” O’Neal chortled, delighted by Barkley’s admission. “I hope you give Michael plenty of airtime tonight on TNT.”

“Of course, Shaq,” Barkley nodded. “But I still stand by my original point—without a jump shot, Michael won’t be the centerpiece of a team. His journey is just beginning.” Wu indeed has a long road ahead, but tonight, his performance was outstanding. After missing three rebounding opportunities in the third quarter, Westbrook found it nearly impossible to grab another board. Offensively, however, he was relentless, attacking the rim again and again as if venting his frustration over missed rebounds.

Late in the third quarter, fatigue prompted Billy Donovan to rest Westbrook, while Frank Vogel had already replaced Wu with Jeff Green. At the end of the third, Westbrook had 9 points and 4 assists in the quarter, but failed to secure a single rebound. Although his stat line read 29 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds, and he had helped the Thunder close the gap, a near triple-double simply couldn’t compare to the real thing.

At the start of the fourth, Donovan sent Westbrook back in to chase victory, and Westbrook did not disappoint. He sliced through the defense to score at will, and set up Adams for an and-one opportunity. With ninety seconds left, the Thunder trailed the Magic by four. Westbrook used a screen to accelerate, drove inside, absorbed contact in mid-air, and scored his fortieth point of the game.

“Forty points, fifteen assists, eight rebounds—Russell is just two boards away from a forty-point triple-double!” Barkley observed, glancing at the clock. “If Russell had gotten those three rebounds in the third, he’d be tonight’s undisputed star. But alas, the Orlando Magic’s rookie is named Michael Wu!”

In the end, the Magic’s next possession saw Vucevic hold his ground under intense pressure and sink a turnaround jumper. Westbrook then set up Roberson, who missed short, but Westbrook fought for his ninth rebound. Racing against the clock, he flung up a final shot, only to see it miss yet again.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Magic had edged out the Thunder 119 to 115 on their home court. Immediately after the game, Shaquille O’Neal left the commentary booth, grabbed a reporter’s microphone, and strode toward the home team’s bench.