At the end of last season, after the injured Clippers were bounced from the playoffs in round one, the organization made the decision that Russell Westbrook couldn’t help them win. LA decided to dump him after a season and a half, and two unsuccessful playoff runs. They threw him into a sign-and-trade to the Jazz for free agent Kris Dunn, and happily wiped their hands clean of the Westbrook experience.
Utah waived Russ immediately, allowing the former MVP to become an unrestricted free agent and try to catch on with a sixth team in seven seasons. Despite being beloved by his teammates, it seemed like Westbrook was starting to wear out his welcome in the NBA, and in what must have been a humbling moment, he was forced to sign a vet minimum contract with the Nuggets.
But luckily, it ended up being a perfect marriage. Westbrook needed another chance in a place where he was wanted, and the Nuggets needed playable talent on the cheap. The fact that Westbrook could also bring them energy, veteran leadership, playmaking, intensity, and toughness in spades was just a bonus.
Westbrook’s past playoff struggles were a massive concern
As much as Westbrook helped carry the team during the regular season, there was still plenty of skepticism and a healthy fear about his role in the playoffs. In recent years, he has had a tendency to try and do too much, letting his missed shots and mistakes overshadow his positives, and taking his teams out of games.
The closer we got to the playoffs, the clearer it became that Westbrook would play a massive role no matter what. In the past, teams have had the opportunity to bench Russ when he started hurting the team, but the Nuggets don’t have that luxury.
Due to the roster construction of now former GM Calvin Booth, David Adelman has essentially played six guys, his starters, and Russ. And they need every single minute they can get, from every single one of those guys, including Westbrook.
Westbrook gets revenge on Clippers with excellent Game 7
And at least in his first playoff series with the Nuggets, Westbrook delivered in a big way. He was up-and-down along with the team, including missing a game with foot inflammation. But he came up huge in Game 1, then again in Game 5. But he saved his best for last, as Russ was amazing in the Nuggets’ biggest game of the season.
In a do-or-die Game 7, Westbrook looked like he was ready to die on the court to win this game. His energy was infectious, and he came out on fire, with 10 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals in the first half, helping the Nuggets build a double-digit lead.
He was steady in the second half as well, leading the charge and firing up the Ball Arena crowd, including putting the exclamation point on this victory with a steal and slam dunk in transition. In case there was any question about his feelings towards the team that dumped him last offseason, Russ made it clear with his celebration.
He hung on the rim for several seconds, intentionally picking up a technical. When he came down, he was yelling and swearing, while waving his arms and thumbs, telling the Clippers in not-so-subtle terms to go home, and setting the home crowd on fire. It was an incredible moment for the Nuggets and for Westbrook, and one that he fully deserved.
Despite what people may have thought about Westbrook before this season, and even this series, he was vital. The Clippers were missing a lot of the positive things that Westbrook can bring to a team, while those very things helped the Nuggets, who wouldn’t have won this series without him.
Now, in a poetic twist, Westbrook gets to carry on and face yet another former team, the one where he started his career, reached his only NBA Finals, and won the MVP Award. The 68-14 top seed in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder, await in round two.
They have been the best team in the league all season, and the Nuggets have their work cut out for them. This sounds like a great opportunity for Russell Westbrook to prove even more of his doubters wrong.