The Denver Nuggets’ championship contention took a hit Thursday night with a Russell Westbrook injury that saw him limp to the locker room midway through the second quarter. Team officials later confirmed his pain as a foot injury. As if the 117-83 beatdown from the Clippers wasn’t demoralizing enough, now Denver faces a critical Game 4, potentially without their spark-plug sixth man.
There’s never a good time for an injury during the NBA season, but trailing a series in the playoffs might be the worst time.
What We’re Missing if Westbrook’s Injured
Say what you want about Russ (and I know many Nuggets fans have plenty to say), but the man has been delivering exactly what Denver needed off the bench all season long and throughout the early stages of this series. Averaging 22 minutes per game in the Clippers series, Westbrook has provided some second-unit scoring punch that the team desperately needed all season.
In Games 1 and 2, Westbrook averaged 14.5 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. While those per-game averages dipped to 10.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists following his injury-shortened Game 3 outing, Russ consistently brings veteran savvy and an intensity level that energizes Nuggets fans and the lineups he plays with — something sorely missing from Thursday night’s embarrassing effort across the final 40 minutes.
Footage surfaced showing Westbrook tweaking his foot during pregame warmups, which explains his discomfort before exiting the game for good. If you haven’t seen the clip, it didn’t look catastrophic, but when your game is predicated on explosive athleticism, foot inflammation can be tricky.
Russell Westbrook has left foot inflammation and is questionable to return.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) April 25, 2025
He rolled his foot/ankle in pregame warmups and attempted to play through it. pic.twitter.com/FK90YZT9gD
Plan B in Westbrook’s Absence?
So, where do new coach David Adelman and the Nuggets turn now? Let's assess our limited options.
Jalen Pickett
Jalen Pickett stepped into extended minutes in Russ’ stead Thursday night and, well ... it wasn’t pretty. The second-year guard logged 11 minutes, missed his only shot attempt, committed two turnovers, and posted a brutal -23 plus-minus. Not exactly the confidence-inspiring performance Denver needed.
But here’s where things get interesting: Pickett has spent most of his 23 total playoff minutes sharing the court with Westbrook, and that particular two-man combo has not worked well for the Nuggets. Pickett had a positive plus-minus with four of the five starters, Julian Strawther, Zeke Nnaji, and DeAndre Jordan, during the regular season, but put up a -1.6 across 20 games sharing the floor with Russ.
The Pickett-Westbrook pairing has posted the worst net rating of any Pickett combination with playoff rotation players, suggesting that the Penn State product might actually have untapped potential in different lineups.
Is it possible Pickett could function better without having to adapt to Westbrook’s unique playing style and two-guard lineups? Maybe, but betting your playoff life on a young point guard who’s looked unspectacular seems like a recipe for disaster.
Julian Strawther
Can Julian Strawther serve as a silver lining? In limited action Thursday (11 minutes), Strawther didn’t make much of a statistical impact (0 points, 1 rebound, 1 block), but his season-long numbers suggest he might fill Russ’ role as the primary bench scoring option should Westbrook miss any time.
Strawther shot 34.9% from three and 43.2% overall this season — far from spectacular but definitely serviceable. What makes him intriguing is his versatility as a scorer. Unlike other one-dimensional bench players on the roster, Strawther can get buckets at multiple levels. He’s shown the ability to pull up from deep (shooting a blistering 50% on corner threes) or attack closeouts and finish with a reliable floater.
Strawther’s problem is on the defensive end, where he logged a 114.4 DRTG during the regular season. He fouls entirely too much and will inevitably be targeted by the Clippers’ offense should his role expand without Westbrook.
After those two, the options look even bleaker. Does Nnaji get some run to potentially counter Ty Lue’s small-ball minutes? Does Adelman ensure that one of Nikola Jokic or Jamal Murray is on the court at all times? Does Denver pivot to a bigger lineup featuring more DeAndre Jordan minutes?
Reality Check — With or Without Russ
Unfortunately, losing Westbrook severely damages the Mile High crew’s championship aspirations this season. For all the criticism he’s received throughout his career, Russ has been exactly what the Nuggets needed off the bench this season. His relentless energy, rebounding, and playmaking ability helped keep the team afloat in the face of injuries earlier in the year.
As we all know, our Nuggets have been in tough spots before. Just last year, they overcame a 0-2 deficit against the Timberwolves to take a 3-2 lead in the series before falling in seven games. Against the 2020 iteration of the Los Angeles Clippers, Jokic and Co. fought back from down 1-3 to qualify for the Western Conference Finals.
Amidst adversity is where championship mettle gets tested. Denver needs someone from the supporting cast to step up. Whether it’s Pickett finding his footing, Strawther discovering a scoring rhythm, or an unexpected hero emerging, this series and any ensuing playoff action depends on it.
As for Game 4, buckle up, Nuggets Nation. Without Westbrook’s hustle and penetration, we’re about to find out what this team is really made of.