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Westbrook: MVP chant from Hawks fans 'caught me off guard'

Ezra Shaw / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Russell Westbrook is no stranger to "MVP" chants - he bathes in them whenever he toes the line for free throws at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

But a curious thing happened when the Oklahoma City Thunder hit the road Monday. A vocal minority of away fans started chanting "MVP" for Westbrook as he stepped to the line to clinch a win over the Atlanta Hawks.

"That's crazy, right?" Westbrook told ESPN's Royce Young. "It definitely caught me off guard, but I just played, man, and continued to play. Especially on the road."

That it happened to Westbrook is hardly surprising. He polished off his sixth-straight triple-double, finishing with 32 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in what has become practically his nightly averages. He is one of, if not the sole leading MVP candidate.

That the MVP chants came from fans in Atlanta is also hardly surprising. Philips Arena is notorious for being occupied by fans of opposing teams. Nothing typified this phenomenon more than when Kobe Bryant visited. He practically turned Philips Arena into Staples Center East each time he rolled through.

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