Russell Westbrook's reaction to this 76ers fan's middle fingers is the best

The start of the NBA season brings lots of excitement for fans. Many of the best athletes in the world are back on our TV screens on a nightly basis, and storylines such as Kevin Durant’s first games with the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first attempts to defend their historic title loom large. These basketball games showcase sports at their best, full of drama and joy.

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Also, sometimes an angry Philadelphia 76ers fan in an Allen Iverson jersey flips off Russell Westbrook and elicits one of the funniest reactions you’ll ever see.

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The moment started innocently enough on Wednesday night. The Oklahoma City Thunder drove to the rim, drew a foul on Sixers point guard T.J. McConnell, and converted the and-one finish to cut into an early lead for the hosts with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter. This middle-aged Sixers fan in the front row apparently didn’t think much of it, because he decided to flash Westbrook the double bird. Take a look:

So many moments make this clip. First, there is the fan himself, who comes across as the stereotypical ornery Philadelphia fan. It’s all there — the red face, the Iverson jersey over a t-shirt, the too-strong reaction to a mostly meaningless play, etc. This is surely a man who would throw snowballs at Santa Claus.

Then there’s Westbrook’s reaction. The Thunder star didn’t lash out at the fan — instead, he pointed to him in a “whose mans is this?” gesture that instantly demeans the fan’s anger.

Then, finally, there’s ESPN commentator Jeff Van Gundy, who argued that Westbrook should be allowed to go into the stands and recreate the Malice in the Palace.

The offending fan understandably was not in his seat for much longer, but he will live on in our hearts forever:

Welcome back, NBA. We missed you in all your bizarre glory.

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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at efreeman_ysports@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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