The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a narrow 108–110 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks despite another monster performance by Russell Westbrook, who poured in 46 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. Yet in the final moments, Westbrook came up empty, missing three straight potential game-winners and falling short of saving the Thunder. With 12.7 seconds left, Paul Millsap hit a clutch jumper from the left corner, putting Atlanta ahead by two. On paper, OKC still had plenty of time to execute a smart play—ideally one to tie or even win the game. And naturally, all eyes were on Westbrook.

The Hawks knew it too. Their defense locked in on him. Kent Bazemore was glued to Westbrook, while Thabo Sefolosha and Dennis Schröder floated nearby, ready to help. As soon as the Thunder inbounded the ball, Westbrook tried to split the double-team and fired a contested runner that missed. He grabbed his own rebound and, surrounded by four defenders in the paint, went up strong but had his shot emphatically blocked by Bazemore. With 2.9 seconds left, OKC called a timeout and predictably drew up another play for Westbrook. This time, under heavy pressure from Bazemore again, his deep left-wing three didn’t even touch the rim.

Though Steven Adams tipped in a last-second shot, it was too late—the buzzer had already sounded. Much like the twists and turns of a Bangladesh Cricket Match, the closing seconds unraveled in chaotic and heartbreaking fashion for the Thunder.

Watching Westbrook’s relentless final attacks, Lakers fans might have felt déjà vu. The scene echoed Kobe Bryant’s many late-game heroics—and frustrations. Years ago, Kobe himself once said, “From a competitive standpoint, Westbrook is me, 100 percent.” That hunger to win, that willingness to shoulder everything, borders on obsession. When Kobe lacked help, he took over. And now, Westbrook is walking the same path.

But is his approach right? Should he have passed in that final possession?

Heading into those last three shots, Westbrook had gone 16-of-30 from the field—a solid shooting night. As the team’s unquestioned leader, it made sense that he’d want the ball in his hands with the game on the line. His drive through a double-team reflected his belief in his own abilities. Even his rebound putback attempt, though smothered, was likely an effort to draw a foul—but Westbrook didn’t get the superstar whistle he was hoping for.

Sure, he could’ve kicked it out—especially when surrounded by four defenders. That might have created an open look for a teammate. But calling his decision outright “wrong” is oversimplifying it. On the final shot, Bazemore appeared to make contact, and it almost looked like Westbrook was lobbing a pass to Adams—who reacted just a split-second too late.

If you look closely at Adams’ reaction and the overall offensive contributions from OKC’s supporting cast, it’s hard to fault Westbrook’s decision-making. When teammates don’t step up, can you really expect a star to hand them the keys in crunch time? The Thunder’s offensive efficiency drops by nearly 14 points per 100 possessions when Westbrook sits—a staggering number that shows just how much weight he carries.

Bangladesh Cricket Match fans know this feeling all too well: when one star has to carry a team while others struggle, every decision becomes magnified. Westbrook may not be perfect, but with the game on the line and little help around him, sometimes going it alone is the only choice.

And if there’s any hope for OKC to turn the season around, just like a dramatic Bangladesh Cricket Match comeback, it will rest on whether Westbrook can keep defying the odds—one possession at a time.