"They deserved that middle finger" - NBA fans defend Russell Westbrook's $35,000 fine for NSFW gesture towards Knicks bench

On Friday morning, the NBA announced that Russell Westbrook has been fined $35,000 for recent in-game actions against the New York Knicks. Following this announcement, fans rushed to social media to defend the former MVP.

The encounter that got Westbrook fined came in the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' recent matchup with the Knicks. After knocking down a three in front of their bench in the fourth quarter, he appears to give them the middle finger while running back down the floor.

This decision ended up being costly for Russell Westbrook, as he is now on the hook for a hefty amount. However, fans feel he should not have been fined for his actions.

In the midst of defending Westbrook, fans also called out the league for issuing a fine for something of this nature.

"Someone tell Adam Silver this isn't the way. They're forcing the league to be soft." One fan said.

"What happened to my league man," another fan said.

"Lmaooo nba soft," said one fan.

Westbrook had a strong outing against the Knicks on Monday, scoring 27 points off the bench. However, the Nuggets still found themselves on the wrong end of a blowout loss. Thanks to a 40-point outburst by OG Anunoby, New York coasted to a 145-118 win.

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Michael Malone praises Russell Westbrook's vocal leadership in loss vs Knicks

Following the Denver Nuggets' blowout loss to the Knicks, head coach Michael Malone was far from pleased with how the team performed. However, he did give some praise to the former All-Star point guard.

When asked about the Nuggets' effort, Malone touched on needing more leadership-wise from the team's tenured players. He cited Westbrook being vocal on the floor but feels just one person isn't enough.

"Russell Westbrook, he's vocal," Malone said. "But we need more than Russell Westbrook. I need Nikola Jokic, I need Jamal Murray. I need guys that have been here, in that starting lineup to be vocal."

Since arriving in Denver, Malone has praised Westbrook on numerous occasions. His leadership and competitive fire have been a big addition to a team looking to get back in the title picture in the Western Conference.

Despite the fit not being an exact fit, Westbrook has been productive for the Nuggets. Being a sixth man/occasional starter, he is averaging 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists. What Westbrook has shocked everyone with is his three-point shooting, knocking down a career-best 37.5% of his attempts from beyond the arc.

Following their defeat to the Knicks, the Nuggets find themselves in the middle of the pack in the West with a 10-7 record.