Russell Westbrook puts up 11 PTS, 7 REB, 9 AST on 80 FG% and +20 in 25 minutes vs. the Sixers.
Boxscore
Russell Westbrook’s statline tonight vs. the Sixers:
The Nuggets defeated the Sixers 144-109.
The Nuggets are 26-16 and 4th in the Western Conference.
Standings
Pretty wild to watch in real time as Westbrook’s many detractors in the media avoid talking about him. He’s been sensational for Denver. Quite a few pundits were dancing on his grave just a few months ago.
He’s still who he was the last couple of seasons. Jokic is just a perfect fit for him, as he can rim run and help push the pace in transition without his lack of shooting collapsing the defense or making other guys have to work as hard to get their shot.
He’s like a rich man’s Bruce Brown.
Maybe a poor man’s Bruce Brown, considering Russ’s salary is half of what BB got his year in Denver.
https://np.reddit.com/r/denvernuggets/s/5UIGLEf790
One of the first things I thought watching BB. However I would like to amend my previous statement: they both rich.
My point is simple: he was written off by many pundits and often treated as a punching bag, particularly after this past postseason. And no, those pundits did not predict he’d be this good on Denver playing with Jokic.
To be fair, no one expected he would put up solid starter numbers on vet min. Right now it is looking like one of the best contracts in NBA
People who know his game and understand he was misused last season did. Also, he’s putting up better than “solid starter numbers.” As a starter he’s one of the league leaders in assists, despite playing less minutes compared to others. His defensive contributions have been fantastic too.
Check out this vid to see just how big of an impact Russ is having:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PsUzrEUl2I
Speak for yourself
Speak for yourself.
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jokic does that with shooters and cutters bc he essentially conducts the offense. The nuggets are letting WB play like himself, as in create and attack. He is showing he can make pocket and tight passes to make jokics game easier, not just the other way around. His confidence and trust is going with the team and russ is getting his groove back…at 36, still athletic. Great storyline for a guy who leaves it out on the floor, boo’d or not
Those pundits know nothing
Not true, I’ve never seen Westbrook cut off ball this much in his life, that was one of the most glaring holes in his game.
He’s a proven cutter. Lakers and Clippers just didn’t use him that way for whatever reason. He scored like 30ppg for the Rockets primarily as a cutter.
Tried to tell yall about this man’s cutting abilities
Also someone in that thread got downvoted to shit for saying that Russ is a better Bruce Brown, heh.
Aside from both being hustlers on the court they are absolutely nothing alike. It’s a lazy analogy.
Did this in houston too. and many times in the clippers they had him in the corner spot where he was a lob threat. Russ, if given confidence to play freely through mistakes and evidently has the crowd behind him, can do some things. much different from the ‘Westbrick is just not a good basketball player’ mob when he was low
You must not have been paying attention, as he’s been doing that for years. We’re not talking about a guy like Harden, who refuses to move off ball, Russ is always moving
You’re right, Westbrook is still the same player he has been the last couple season, expect he’s being used correctly now.
His first season the Clippers, Westbrook averaged 16-8-5 on 49% FG and 36% 3FG, and was playing very well before Harden forced the trade and bombed team chemistry, including Westbrook’s role.
Russ shot pretty well from 3, but more importantly, the Clips played very well as long as Kawhi was willing to pass when Russ cut, but I guess he didn’t want to do that anymore. Funny how it works out though, as Harden is currently shooting the same 3FG% as Russ (and has shot much worse for most of the season), and is shooting 6% worse than Russ overall.
He happens to be on a minimum and embracing being a role player off ball, combined with being teammates with the best player in the league that is also a big that is a good passer and good off ball. Perfect storm for him but saying he was always this good and it was the other teams problem would be revisionist as hell
shhh can we please just shit on the Lakers
“Roleplayers” off-ball don’t get multiple triple-doubles while sharing the court with another TD machine. Westbrook as a starter is among the league leaders in assists, and has been a huge part of what the Nuggets have done this season on offense AND defense.
It WAS the Lakers (and Clips in his second season’s) problem, as we’ve seen with the never-ending cycle of players/PG’s shuffled in and out of the Lakers. Even Jokic himself said that in an interview tonight, saying that Russ was misused.
I can tell you’re just a Russ hater, but if you’re actually willing to change your mind check out this video to understand just how impactful Russ has been this season:
Even Jokic himself said that in an interview tonight, saying that Russ was misused.
I absolutely loved Jokic shitting on the La teams when he said that.
Sure, his game (and motivation) is to hunt for triple doubles, but it’s not really a qualifier to show he’s playing great or poorly
If it’s the lakers and clippers problem, it’s also 29 other teams problems, not to mention Westbrook’s own attitude and style problem when he first joined the lakers and was moving to become the role player he is now.
Again, I’m not saying he isn’t playing well as a minimum role player, but it’s a perfect storm for him to do so mostly due to Jokic and he can’t do it on any other team. He’s misused because nobody else can cover for his weakness or use him the way Jokic can, but id say that’s more credit to Jokic for filling the gaps of how limited he is than the fault of anyone else
I don’t think I’m a Westbrook hater, I’m just tired of the revisionist history of how bad he was or people acting like it was other teams’ problems instead of how limited Westbrook is and how lucky he is to be playing with the only guy that can still make him effective on a winning team
We know the last part isn’t true because he was also excelling on the Clippers prior to Hardens arrival
Harden is much much better in that position. And if your goal is to be as good as you can and not to make Westbrook look as good as you can, they made the right call.
Whether they made the right call isn’t being discussed. You implied Russ could only play so well next to Jokic. That clearly wasn’t true as he was as good or better when he was starting for the Clippers
Also, to maximize a team you look to maximize every players role on the team. The team will be better for it.
It’s true, he can only play so well next to Jokic. He wasn’t nearly this good (as in contributing to winning) on the lakers or clippers, even if he had more stats and the ball in his hands more
He was more efficient as a starter for the Clippers. If he’s doing everything he’s doing now at a higher level and more efficiently, that’s playing better and contributing to winning
The Clippers had a winning record during that time as well
You’re completely ignoring that the Nuggets are a far better team overall than those Clippers, with a roster much better suited to his game (which the Lakers weren’t). That’s pretty silly
You’re demonstrably wrong here
makes no sense. This odd narrative that he is now playing off ball. Malone said and let Russ be Russ. Jokic si enjoying great post passes making his turn around game better, WB is also leading fastbreaks for them. The team is gaining trust with him and for a guy who is all heart and very sensitive it seems to be the big factor in russ playing well as the crowd is with him and now at 36 he is back to triple double range russ. You don’t get those dimes playing offball the whole time…
and yes the first half of clippers season before harden trade he was still doing special things.
Russ doesnt have too much versatility and he seems very sensitive to crowd and team energy showing how he imploded with the Lakers, but luckily at 36 he is still nba elite athletically and is showing hella toughness when the crowd boo’d him and reddit wrote him off as a bad basketball player
You are like 20% of the comments in this thread lmao we get it - Russ is playing well
well he is correcting these revisionist people saying ‘hes finally accepting playing offball, that was the issue’ type of BS who apparnetly don’t watch the games.
Malone said and let Russ be Russ. His teammates are enjoying and trust him, the crowd is, and he finally found a spot
He’s embraced being off ball and a role player more. Don’t get it twisted though, Russ is still bad off ball, but he’s learned a bit on the last 3 years.
And yes, Jokic is better off ball/less time in possession than the other stars he’s been with since he became a role player (Lebron, harden, kawhi, PG), so Russ gets to be more on ball again. Once again, that’s a team/star fit that wouldn’t really apply to any other winning team
Ironically, you’re the one with the revisionist history of downplaying how bad he was or acting like it was other teams’ problems instead of how limited Westbrook is and how lucky he is to be playing with the only guy that can still make him effective on a winning team. He’d be a good tank commander but no other star can win with Westbrook like Jokic
Every team tried to let Russ be Russ, until it failed, but they didn’t have Jokic to conform and cover for him.
Mike malone lets him play entirely free. He gets a lot of rope to create and play on the ball. He is getting to show why he is among the leaders in assits and creation helping jokic and being a attacker and c atalyst, not just playing off ball with jokic
with the team trust, crowd behind him and WB is sensitive to that he is getting some nice things going. love to see it
Call em all out and shame them for being terrible.
Fuck the Lakers, Fuck ESPN and Fuck Dave McMelanin especially.
I hated the move for Denver and so far I’ve been horrificly incorrect. I’m happy about that, but pleasantly surprised.
It’s so wild that a guy who had been an absolute detriment to his team on an abaltross contract for almost half a decade was criticized by the media for taking terrible shots and stat chasing
He’s really shown them, by now doing everything they said he should by taking a reduced role with less playmaking responsibility and minimizing his outside shooting
He’s even shooting 3s at a career best rate lol.
Who knew that confidence & being in a good environment makes you better at your job?
We have different definitions of sensational
He has been absolutely sensational, what do you mean? He’s not just “filling a role,” he’s making a legitimate, powerful, and meaningful impact on this team. He’s far, far superior to anyone we had in this position last year.
He’s averaging 13 points on 46/34/64 splits and 6.5 assists to 2.9 turnovers
you aren’t watching the games his impact has been huge, especially since he became a starter.
Russ also started the season terribly so those splits are somewhat misleading…..since he got comfortable in Denver Russ is like 52/37/64 splits and the FTA are minimal he’s basically going like 2⁄3 every game
It’s easy to look at stats and judge. I agree, Russ impact is sensational. More than the stats, it’s the ball movement, transition attack and his defense that’s making the impact. And these are the things that are very evident when you watch the team play. And their record when Russ is starting is also impressive
As a starter, Russ is averaging 15-8-6 on 52% and 35%, and even better in his last 20 games. Russ with Jokic as a duo has the best net rating in the entire NBA. He’s doing huge things on both offense and defense.
You’re clearly just a Russ hater, but if you’re actually willing to change your mind check out this video to understand just how impactful Russ has been this season:
At times being the nuggets 2nd best player while being paid Minimum? You must be invited to the international playa hater ball cause that is sensational
Cmon man lol he’s been better for them than he was for us I can admit that
Definitely
What a low bar you’re setting there
I mean, who else is playing better on that type of contract?
Just get outta here and let this be a glaze fest
These Lakers fans are so sad, they’re in literally every Russ thread for YEARS now trashing him because they can’t admit that they were duped, and that their front office is the problem.
Russ is the dude. Best non-rookie contract in the league.
That’s actually still Jokic. At \(55m he’s way undervalued. Russ is good but still only a \)15m guy at best I think, Joker’s true value is likely in the hundreds
I mean, if you’re going to say that, may as well say SGA whose on 35.8m this season.
True!
15 million guy for russ…? not too far off from mid level?
14-7-6 on 50% almost 2 steals in 30 minutes is not a 15 million guy in nba cap
and its beyond stats. He is a game changer energetically. Constantly a catalyst, plays each game like its the damn finals. He is helping bring life to a team that sorely missing depth . Jokic, as with many 1A stars, are just undervalued. if there was no cap/max they’d be getting paid more and he is just 1⁄1, btu that doesnt take away from Russ’s unlikely 36 y/o resurgence
When he came to Denver, I wasnt expecting him to be a nightly near-triple double threat anymore
Me neither and he would’ve had one tonight had the game been closer
Russ avoided 3 straught TDs cause they blew everyone out.
Malone shoulda let him in 4th to get his TD, Malone hates history.
No sense in risking injury when Ring #2 is back on the table.
Imo it’s way more back then people realize.
They look DangeRUSS
Honestly, I hope he gets his ring
Nuggets country, let’s ride.
True that. Russ should have really told him that he wanted back in for that.
New Russ is Team Russ
The Jokic effect. Focus on winning, not stats
I’m really curious as to what his place in the lineup will be come playoff time.
He plays so damn well with the starters, but that would mean permanently moving Gordon or potentially Braun to the bench. I guess it’s a good problem to have
I see it as Denver having multiple offensive tools at their disposable and many opportunities to break defenses down.
Murray just needs to get fully healthy and consistent and Nuggets need to tighten up their defense and turnovers
If they can resolve these simple mistakes, they look like a clear cut contender.
Just be happy that now you have a good option in case a non-Jokic starter gets injured.
Start Russ. Play Murray off the bench for instant scoring
would rather have murray and shooting around jokic and let Russ be instant catalyst creator off the bench and combine it in the 4th
what are you talking about they aren’t gonna change what’s been working so well.
Gordon’s role is 6th man now and it works.
They might entertain having both him and Braun have similar minutes just with Braun starting
Curious, too. It should come down to matchups, and should change series to series and even throughout a series as needed. Having multiple “starting lineups” seems like one of the best assets during a playoff run for adaptability.
Did his thing
Nuggets got Deandre Jordan a ring as backup C when he was shit on everywhere.
Now Westbrook getting a new lease on life.
They know what they’re doing up there.
Ben Simmons is the ultimate test when the Nets finally get off his contract
Id be very ok with Simmons somewhere between lower vet min and MLE.
Can we rehab the reputation of a veteran player who can shoot next time? Not that it hasn’t been going well it’s just easier
As an early pioneer of the “Russ to the Nuggets on a minimum” movement (circa 2022), distressed asset Ben Simmons is probably my most coveted roster building piece in the league.
(Also like 6 turnovers but who’s counting)
Meh
We knew what we were getitng.
As long as he makes up for his mistakes, its all good
It’s also that he gets the other guys to play hard. It can’t be understated. MPJ is running the floor and getting offensive rebounds. Murray is running the floor to the 3 point line. Braun has a partner in crime.
His influence is massive and worth the turnovers tbh.
He basically single-handedly turned us from one of the worst fast breaking teams in the league last year to the best this year. His impact is so much greater than his counting stats for this team. I love the dude.
Also upped an already good team assist team to a phenomenal history-breaking team assist team
Yep.
We have 2 really cool sets of plays that i love.
One is the Jokic and Jamal 2 man game that ends with an AG lob.
The other is Jokic rebound to Russ+Braun transition play.
His TOs are more like “you werent in the right position, try again.” Abd then he repeats the pass, this time MPJ or Braun were in the right position. And the TOs tone down as the game goes on.
I mean look, as long as the to to assist ratio isnt 1 to 1, then we are good.
Good thing Philly fumbled 4 of those possessions
Dude is fearless - take the bad to get the good.
Apparently u
How is 5, “like 6”?
Lol I was looking for that stat line… thought it was suspiciously absent
It’s a 1.8 assist to turnover ratio considering the two assist that were not credited Westbrook because it was supposed to be a double double it becomes 2 assisted per 1 turn over which is good considering some of his passes are fast as fuck
We accept him, bad turnover stretches and all. He more than makes up for it.
<3
Seeing both Baker and Russ finally end up in situations that fit with fanbases that actually appreciate them has warmed this okie’s heart.
My favorite player of all time
Respek bro
There was a play this game where Russ dribbled it above the arc for like 6 seconds looking for a Jokic entry pass, a pass EVERYONE saw coming.
As soon as the ball went in, 4 players collapsed on Jokic. For any other big man (aside from maybe Wemby cuz of his height) I think that’s a turnover.
Instead, Jokic taps it backwards over his head, arm fully outstretched, to a cutting Braun who started moving as soon as the pass was made. I don’t even remember if they scored on that play, but THIS is why Russ isn’t hitting near double digit turnovers on this team.
That’s the kind of fuckery this team is on. Russ getting an entry pass like that in, Jokic having 6 eyes, other players mind-melding with the Big Honey. Pure basketball man.
“Everyone” may have seen that pass coming since Russ had already fed Jokic a bunch of perfect passes prior to that. Lots of defenders may see the potential pass, but still can’t stop it, because of Russ’ precision, and Jokic’s movement/catching.
With AG back who is a walking 15⁄5 and Russ as another playmaker…this is the team to beat now
Who’s that guy they say makes other player better again? And majorly slandered brook? Why do i even bother asking, he’s irrelevant
Will you pay him 44 million a year?
wessel rustbrook
The man just fills the stat sheets literally anywhere he goes.
The man just fills stat sheets anywhere he goes! What a legend.
I don’t like him but if he gets a ring I’ll be really happy for him..dude deserves it.