The Nuggets have an incredible opportunity on Sunday when they play the final game of the second round of the NBA playoffs at 1:30 MT in Oklahoma City. After a regular season that saw the Thunder dominate the Western Conference to the tune of a 68-14 record, while the Nuggets had an up-and-down year, fighting until the last day for the four seed, both teams’ season will come down to a single game.
So much is at stake in this do-or-die Game 7 that will send one team along to the Western Conference Finals, where either team will have homecourt advantage against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Wolves dispatched of the Warriors in five games, and will have plenty of rest either way, but that’s a problem for the next round. For now, there is still much business to attend to for the Nuggets, and they’re going to have their work cut out for them.
Russell Westbrook won’t be afraid of the moment
This proposition got even tougher after Game 6, as the Nuggets have since ruled Aaron Gordon as doubtful for Sunday with a hamstring strain. Losing Gordon for this game would be completely demoralizing, as he has been their defensive pulse, a weapon on offense, a master in the clutch, and one of the team’s emotional leaders on and off the court.
AG is irreplaceable in this game, and that means a lot of guys are going to have to step up in a major way. But who can realistically do that in a Game 7 on the road? Who lives for the moment and will embrace the noise and the chaos, rising to the occasion?
The most veteran and experienced player on the team, Russell Westbrook, is perfect for this situation. These kinds of games are exactly what brought Russ to Denver, and there is nothing he’d like more than to step up in an elevated role and have a great game to help the Nuggets advance.
Russ back where it all started in OKC
The Thunder are the team that drafted Russ. He grew into an All-Star there alongside Kevin Durant and James Harden. He helped lead them to their only title appearance in OKC in 2012 against the Heat. He even won the NBA MVP Award with the Thunder in 2017 after KD and Harden were gone.
Russ grew up in Oklahoma City, and along the way, he became the most beloved player in franchise history. They were sad to see him go, but realized it was best for both sides as they needed to rebuild, and Russ was in the prime of his career.
But Russ has made several stops along the way and still hasn’t been able to make it back to the NBA Finals since 2012. Meanwhile, OKC has built the biggest juggernaut in the league and are looking to make it back to the Finals themselves.
Oddly enough, it’s Westbrook and the Nuggets standing in their way, with a chance to end their dream season long before anyone expected. The Thunder have the edge on paper, almost across the board, but they can’t account for the heart of Westbrook and the amount of effort and energy he is about to unleash on this game.
He can’t do it by himself, but if he can catch fire, he can bring the fight to OKC and set the tone. This young Thunder team could tighten up, and Westbrook and company could take advantage of that. It’s only one game, and the Nuggets always have a chance with Jokic and Murray on their side. If Russ can be the X-Factor, he could tip the scales and bring his career full circle back where it all started in Oklahoma City.