The Nuggets were coming off three of their worst consecutive performances of the season to start this week. They got trounced by the Timberwolves at home last Wednesday, looking almost incapable of generating offense.
Then on Friday, they barely squeaked past a Lakers team that was missing LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and multiple other starters. The cherry on top was their “bounce-back” the next night as they lost at home to the pathetic Wizards to cap off a season sweep.
The team needed some reasons for optimism, but the Nuggets ruled out Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Christian Braun late Monday afternoon. It seemed like they were basically punting on a difficult game in Golden State against a red-hot Warriors team that has been chasing them down in the standings ever since acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline.
While it was frustrating to see the Nuggets’ best players sitting out of a big game, ultimately it’s more important for the team to prioritize health and rest than it is to wear guys out chasing a better seed - a lesson that Denver learned the hard way just last year.
Westbrook leads Nuggets to win with crazy triple-double
But Russell Westbrook had other ideas on Monday night. Without the Nuggets’ two best offensive players and playmakers, Russ took on the burden as the hub of the offense and created sweet magic all night, leading the Nuggets to an improbable 114-105 win over the Warriors.
He finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, 16 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, making him the only player in NBA history to ever put up that stat line. He pushed the pace from the jump and brought a wild energy and frenetic intensity to the game.
Right away, he started setting up his teammates and got Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. going early, setting the tone for the rest of the game. Westbrook took it upon himself to make sure the Nuggets were not going to punt on this game and carried the team, leading with a type of competitive edge the team has been lacking for much of this season.
Overall, this probably doesn’t change anything in a macro sense; the Nuggets are still going to run through Jokic and Murray and they’ll go as far as those two can carry them in the playoffs. But it’s a reminder of the player Russ was and can be; a do-it-all triple-double machine who has willed his team to many a victory.
It’s also a further reminder of what Westbrook was brought in to do for this team and why Michael Malone and company can be more liberal with their resting habits down the stretch. The Nuggets need their best players to be fresh come playoff time and leaning into Russ to help carry the weight for the rest of the regular season makes a lot of sense.