Russell Westbrook didn’t speak to reporters on Tuesday after he had a major hand in a disastrous late-game sequence that cost the Nuggets a double-overtime win over the rival Timberwolves. However, his head coach and teammates weren’t willing to throw the veteran guard under the bus, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes.
With Denver holding a one-point lead and just 15 seconds left to play, Westbrook grabbed an errant Anthony Edwards pass and led a 2-on-1 fast break up the court (Twitter video link via NBA on TNT). However, his layup attempt was no good, resulting in the Wolves grabbing the rebound and getting off a last-second three-point attempt for the win.
Minnesota guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker missed the shot, but Westbrook was called for a foul, which led to Alexander-Walker making the game-winning free throws with a tenth of a second left on the game clock.
“(Westbrook is) a guy that hates to lose. … He’s a perfectionist and he’s a competitor,” head coach Michael Malone told reporters, including Durando, during his post-game press conference. “And knowing Russ the way I do, he’s probably gonna put a lot of this on him. But we lost tonight. The Denver Nuggets. We, as a collective group, lost that game tonight. Not one player.
“He’s a pro. He’s a warrior. He’s a tough kid,” Malone continued. “And I think he knows that everybody in that locker room has got his back.”
Malone’s assertion that Westbrook’s teammates have his back was reinforced by comments made by star center Nikola Jokic – who had an incredible 61-point triple-double – and Christian Braun.
“Why?” Jokic replied when asked if he would say something to Westbrook about the last two plays of the game (Twitter link via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette). “What happened, it’s basketball. I’m pretty sure that he didn’t want to make a foul or whatever. It happens. He had the best (intentions). It happens.”
“We trust (Westbrook) to take that shot 100 out of 100 times,” Braun added. “So that’s not what lost us the game.”
Still, Troy Renck of The Denver Post contends that Tuesday’s costly 15-second sequence is the latest piece of evidence in favor of the Nuggets using Westbrook as nothing more than a spark-plug off the bench when their roster is fully healthy. According to Renck, Westbrook’s lack of “situational awareness” – exhibited by his decision to go for a layup after the steal instead of looking to kill more time on the clock – makes him a potential liability in late-game situations.
After primarily coming off the bench and averaging a career-low 22.5 minutes per night last season for the Clippers, Westbrook has started 35 of 69 games for Denver this season, with his playing time bumped back up to 28.1 MPG. The Nuggets have a -0.5 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a +9.1 mark when he’s not, prompting Renck to argue that the team shouldn’t be leaning on the former MVP so heavily.
Westbrook is in the first season of a two-year, minimum-salary contract that includes a $3.47MM player option for next season. If he turns down that option, he’d become an unrestricted free agent and the Nuggets would hold his Non-Bird rights.
I’m a big Russ fan, if he was going to get that shot it had to be a dunk. His legs just died on him or he was thinking a Minn player was going to block it so he went for a way it could be goaltended. He can’t then put himself in that foul spot.
What? Shaqtinafool. What? Shaqtinafool. What? Shaqtinafool.
Russ is a curse to any team he’s on.
On a double OT game there are many mistakes by many players. So why just focus on him?
For clicks.
Agree. What meaningful conclusions are we drawing from this moment? Westbrook was simply the person who messed up last. It wasn’t even a playoff game.
I like that Lil D. Westbrook was simply the person who messed up last. Wisdom.
Well considering Denver has a half game lead in the Lakers and 2.5 game lead on the Warriors with 6 games to go, every game is vital for playoff seeding and home court advantage.
Sure lots of mistakes are made throughout a double overtime game, but Westbrook choosing to try to score with less than 15 seconds to go with a lead is just dumb. Perfect example of why he doesn’t have a high basketball IQ. But I’m sure Jokic would have done the same thing and went for the score instead of waiting to get fouled and taking time off the clock.
I mean literally every regular season game has playoff seeding and home court implications lol. Denver had 3 chances to win this game. Westbrook cost them 1. Facts are the facts.
All I hear are excuses. The facts are if Westbrook holds onto the ball and draws the foul, Denver most likely wins the game. Those are the facts.
Westbrook cost them 1 chance, but it was literally the most important chance at the end of the game.
It’s a team sport…thought they covered that on day 1 lol. You want to attribute every win or loss to whomever scores the final basket? Maybe like tennis is more your speed.
It’s not a fact if it didn’t happen, bucko
It did not rim out, it hit the neck of the rim on way up, never made it to rim.
Jokic’s missed free throws and Braun also not slowing down the play up 1 are also culpable.
That said, This was just another example of how awful the Nuggets’ bench is.
Pickett isn’t ready for prime time, Watson is no MPJ, and no Murray was arguably the difference. Twolves bench outscored the Nuggets bench 40-14, and 40-30 if you include Watson and Pickett who are usually bench players.
Zero basketball IQ like LeBron James