<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/ranking-russell-westbrooks-10-best-teammates');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ranking Russell Westbrook’s 10 best teammates');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Ranking-Russell-Westbrooks-10-best-teammates.jpg"></figure><h1>Ranking Russell Westbrook’s 10 best teammates</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T09:25:50-08:00">December 17th, 9:25am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T09:25:50-08:00">December 17th, 9:25am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/spencersee10" rel="facebook">Spencer See</a>Spencer See is a part-time writer at ClutchPoints focusing on the NBA, evergreen content and celebrity lifestyle. He is also a lifelong fan of LeBron James. In his free time, he either goes fishing or watches basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Russell Westbrook is a future Basketball Hall of Famer, highlighted by an NBA MVP award in 2017 coupled with a handful of seasons that saw him average a triple-double.</p><p>While Westbrook has been an absolute beast on the court, an NBA championship remains elusive in his career, prompting the NBA MVP to jump from one team to another. This has resulted in Westbrook teaming up with several NBA stars. Here is Russell Westbrook’s 10 best teammates, ranked.</p><p>Check out the gallery below.</p><h2><b>1. Kevin Durant</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Kevin-Durant-and-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Mark D. Smith-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Russell Westbrook’s career hasn’t been the same since Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder. Although this paved the way for Westbrook to become a triple-double machine leading to a historic MVP season, it has been a different story in terms of team success. Without Durant, Westbrook has yet to make another NBA Finals appearance.</p><h2><b>2. Steven Adams</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Steven-Adams-talks-to-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>As a gentle giant from New Zealand, Steven Adams isn’t one of the All-Stars in this list. However, he perfectly blended well with Westbrook’s play.</p><p>In fact, with Adams as the starting center, Westbrook had a reliable big man to go to while he was running the show in Oklahoma. While Adams isn’t the most dominant center, he perfectly knew how to play off of Westbrook’s all-around style of play.</p><h2><b>3. Serge Ibaka</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Serge-Ibaka-and-Russell-Westbrook-celebrate.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>There’s no doubt that it was Serge Ibaka who anchored the Oklahoma City Thunder when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were running the show. Ibaka was a defensive-minded big man, who also complemented Westbrook’s play quite well.</p><p>His defensive tenacity made life easier for Westbrook on the defensive end while also being an inside threat offensively. He was a crucial piece to the Thunder’s 2012 NBA Finals appearance.</p><h2><b>4. Bradley Beal</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Bradley-Beal-hugs-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Mills-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Landing in Washington, Westbrook had to play alongside Wizards star <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/wizards-10-greatest-players-in-franchise-history-ranked">Bradley Beal, one of the Wizards’ best players in their history</a>. The duo in Washington ultimately transformed the Wizards into a competitive playoff squad.</p><p>While they didn’t exactly go deep, just helping the Wizards make the playoffs was already a huge achievement. Moreover, Westbrook still managed to get his triple-double average while Beal was dominating his scoring output.</p><h2><b>5. James Harden</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Russell-Westbrook-and-James-Harden-celebrate.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The duo between Westbrook and James Harden has drawn some mixed results. While they did go to the 2012 NBA Finals together, since then they’ve reunited twice. One time came in Houston, where they ended up getting the boot in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs.</p><p>The second time around, they teamed up with the Los Angeles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/clippers-news-james-harden-sixers-trade">Clippers after they traded for Harden</a>, which never went deep enough to get a sniff of a Finals appearance.</p><h2><b>6. Kawhi Leonard</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Russell-Westbrook-and-Kawhi-Leonard-in-a-game.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Kawhi Leonard is one of the elite forwards in the NBA, having led two franchises to an NBA title. However, he has yet to do so with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/clippers-news-russell-westbrook-8-million-deal-with-la-draws-befuddled-fan-reactions">Clippers, even when Westbrook came on board</a>. The team-up failed to produce results. While the duo has displayed some glimpses of their greatness, the lack of playoff success ultimately ended their partnership.</p><h2><b>7. Paul George</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Russell-Westbrook-and-Paul-George-interaction.jpg"><figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>From teaming up in Oklahoma to playing together in LA, the story was the same for both Westbrook and Paul George. While the duo has consistently expressed their positive feelings about teaming up, the lack of playoff success proves that this duo wasn’t formidable enough.</p><p>On paper, this duo has plenty of star power. However, they’ve never materialized their potential in their two stints together.</p><h2><b>8. Nikola Jokic</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Russell-Westbrook-fouls-Nikola-Jokic.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-6-8-million-contract">signing with the Denver Nuggets during the offseason, Westbrook</a> teamed up with another NBA MVP in Nikola Jokic. The reigning three-time NBA MVP should be a promising teammate for Westbrook, who should be gunning for an NBA title to his resume.</p><p>While the Nuggets are off to a bit of a slow start at just 14-10, Jokic is <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jokicni01.html" rel="noopener">averaging over 30 points per game</a>, which would be a career high for a full season.</p><h2><b>9. Anthony Davis</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Russell-Westbrook-and-Anthony-Davis-in-action.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Another major star that Westbrook had a chance to play with was Anthony Davis. While Westbrook had a forgettable stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, he did show some glimpses on the floor with Davis. Unfortunately, their star powers weren’t enough to even make a playoff push possible. Their partnership could be described as disastrous at best.</p><h2><b>10. LeBron James</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/LeBron-James-gives-a-high-five-to-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>A lot of NBA fans will agree that Westbrook’s stint with the Lakers was the worst point of his decorated NBA career. While teaming up with LeBron James may have looked good on paper, the fit was a huge question mark.</p><p>James and Westbrook had relatively the same all-around play styles that need the ball to be effective. As a result, Westbrook had one of his worst performances in a Lakers uniform. In fact, the Lakers didn’t even make the playoffs with Westbrook.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ranking Russell Westbrook’s 10 best teammates

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-fined-after-flipping-off-knicks');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook hit with fine after flipping off Knicks');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-news-Russell-Westbrook-hit-with-fine-after-flipping-off-Knicks.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook hit with fine after flipping off Knicks</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-29T11:22:27-08:00">November 29th, 11:22am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-29T11:23:02-08:00">November 29th, 11:23am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook has been fined $35,000 by the NBA for making an obscene gesture on the court against the Knicks on Nov. 25 in Ball Arena, the league announced Friday morning.</p><p>In what turned out to be Westbrook’s best game in a Nuggets uniform, the former league MVP dropped 27 points, including four made threes, during Denver’s 145-118 home loss to New York. The “obscene gesture” that Westbrook was fined for came late in the fourth quarter with the Nuggets trailing by 26 points.</p><p>After nailing a three from the corner, Westbrook immediately turned around and flipped off the Knicks’ bench, likely in response to players on the end of the bench mocking him.</p><p>So far this season, Westbrook has thrived in his bench role for the Nuggets. The nine-time All-Star has made the most of his opportunities, averaging 12.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 39.1 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from three-point range. Becoming a better catch-and-shoot three-point shooter is something Denver has been working with the veteran on.</p><p>Over his last six games, two of which were without Jokic on the court, Westbrook has averaged 16.2 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds. He recently recorded his 200th career triple-double on Nov. 17 against the Memphis Grizzlies, becoming the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-makes-nba-triple-double-history-vs-grizzlies">first player in NBA history to ever record 200 triple-doubles</a>.</p><p>Nuggets head coach <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-rockstar-treatment-michael-malone">Michael Malone has praised Westbrook</a> for the toughness and leadership he has brought to Denver, especially given that the team has lost a lot of veteran leaders through the years.</p><p>“I think he’s been incredible for us. You look at the offensive productivity tonight… I think defensively he’s been a rockstar,” Malone told reporters following a 124-122 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier in November. “And what I love about Russell Westbrook: 17-year vet, leopards don’t change their spots, but he is trying so hard to be disciplined. He’s trying to do the things we’re asking him to do, and I appreciate that so much. Because a lot of times, at 17 years in, you are who you are. But he cares, man. He is so invested in this team and what he’s bringing to this team, and he’s so hard on himself.</p><p>“I can coach a guy like Russell Westbrook any day because he’s a competitor and he’s a tough dude. I want him in my foxhole.”</p><p>Westbrook and the Nuggets will be looking to move to 11-7 on the season when they play the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 1 in LA.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook hit with fine after flipping off Knicks

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/hawks-news-trae-young-joins-magic-johnson-russell-westbrook-nba-history');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hawks’ Trae Young joins Magic Johnson, Russell Westbrook in NBA history');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Hawks-news-Trae-Young-joins-Magic-Johnson-Russell-Westbrook-in-NBA-history-books.jpg"></figure><h1>Hawks’ Trae Young joins Magic Johnson, Russell Westbrook in NBA history</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-27T20:06:57-08:00">November 27th, 8:06pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-27T20:06:57-08:00">November 27th, 8:06pm</time><address><a>Kendall Capps</a>Kendall Capps is a multi-media journalist and editor who is overly passionate about all sports (to his wife's dismay). He's a Senior Editor at ClutchPoints who previously managed SB Nation's golf vertical. He has also done work for FantasyPros and co-hosted the Lay The Points podcast as part of a decade-long career in sports entertainment.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Hawks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Hawks are not having the best start to their 2024-2024 NBA season. But they do have something in common with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-vocal-boston-championship-parade-experience">defending champion Boston Celtics</a>. The Hawks are the only other team to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. The Hawks took care of the Cavs, 135-124, with Trae Young silencing the road crowd.</p><p>Young dropped dimes all night, racking up a season-high 22 assists. He paired that with 20 points for his second 20-20 game of his NBA career. In doing so, he joined an elite company.</p><p>Young became just the 15th player ever to accomplish that feat twice. Of the previous 14, nearly all of them are members of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. That list is, of course, topped by Magic Johnson. The Los Angeles Lakers legend did that 13 times during his illustrious career. John Stockton and Oscar Robertson followed with nine and eight, respectively. Then comes Russell Westbrook with seven.</p><p>But someone ought to show Patrick Beverley that list. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-patrick-beverley-real-russell-westbrook">Beverley was quoted calling Westbrook the greatest point guard</a> of all time. But I digress.</p><p>Young actually struggled with his shot on Wednesday. He knocked down just six of 18 shots from the field and went 3-for-13 from deep. But his ability to move the basketball and find others was on full display.</p><p>With the win, the Hawks snapped a three-game losing skid and improved to 8-11 on the young season. Meanwhile, the Cavs dropped to 17-2. Interestingly, the teams will both hop on a flight and head to Atlanta, as the Hawks will host the Cavs on Friday night.</p><p>Trae Young is off to the worst start to a season since his rookie year in 2018-2019. He is averaging <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/4277905/trae-young" rel="noopener">under 22 points per game</a>, a far cry from the 26+ he has averaged the last four seasons. Maybe Wednesday’s performance will get the Hawks’ point guard going.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hawks’ Trae Young joins Magic Johnson, Russell Westbrook in NBA history

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-patrick-beverley-real-russell-westbrook');   ga('set', 'title', 'Patrick Beverley throws credibility in trash with Russell Westbrook GOAT talk');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Patrick-Beverley-gets-real-on-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"></figure><h1>Patrick Beverley throws credibility in trash with Russell Westbrook GOAT talk</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-27T13:35:45-08:00">November 27th, 1:35pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-27T14:31:51-08:00">November 27th, 2:31pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>While most Denver <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-most-pleasant-surprise-early-2024-25-season">Nuggets fans are pleasantly surprised by Russell Westbrook’s production</a> in 2024-25, former NBA guard Patrick Beverley watched him earn his 200th career triple-double. In a 122-110 win against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 19, Westbrook finished with 12 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds against the Grizzlies. Beverley gave Russell his flowers by calling him the greatest NBA point guard ever.</p><p>In a recent episode of the Pat Bev Pod, Beverley, basing his take on pure skill, <a href="https://x.com/PatBevPod/status/1861863914549502197" rel="noopener">named</a> Westbrook his point-guard GOAT.</p><p>“We’re going off skill-based. We’re going off talent. We’re going off numbers. This is an individual award. I mean, you have to put him up there as the greatest point guard ever to play the game,” Beverley said. “We’re not talking about championships; individual statistics; that’s all I’m talking about. What makes you better than the next person? Championships don’t. That don’t make you better than the next person. You might have a better team, but that [doesn’t] make you better than the next person.”</p><p>Beverley quickly removed championships from the equation once his co-host mentioned Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. Instead, Beverley named Magic Johnson, an illustrious Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame point guard, as an example of another elite guard he believes is inferior to Westbrook.</p><p>“No one will catch Russ,” Beverley added. “Magic Johnson shoot back up, he still wouldn’t catch Russ in triple-doubles because no one’s ever done that. And then, somebody out the back will yell out, “S***, you can’t forget Oscar Robertson,” all of a sudden, a mother f***** got 200 triple-doubles and averaged a triple-double for two-and-a-half years that no one even speaks about. I think it’s because he’s Russell Westbrook.”</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-vs-jazz-prediction-odds-pick-11-27-2024">Nuggets will look to go 10-7 against the Jazz</a> on Wednesday.</p><h2><b>Patrick Beverley names Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook the greatest PG</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fan-sign-for-Nuggets-guard-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Patrick Beverley watched Nuggets point guard Russell Westbrook score a team-high 27 points in a 145-118 blowout loss to the Knicks Monday night. Westbrook has turned things around over the past few weeks after a slow start to 2024-25, averaging 9.8 points on 27% shooting, 3.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in his first four games of the regular season.</p><p>However, Westbrook’s 200 triple-doubles have convinced Beverley of Westbrook’s ascension to being the NBA’s best point guard ever. At a minimum, he’s in the top-4.</p><p>“He’s on Mt. Rushmore for point guards. He has to be,” Beverley said. “200 triple-doubles for a point guard? It’s going to be very hard for a player to reach that.”</p><p>Westbrook averaged 19.0 points, 8.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in his last four games.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Patrick Beverley throws credibility in trash with Russell Westbrook GOAT talk

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-sets-surprise-career-high-vs-knicks');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook sets surprise career high vs. Knicks');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-news-Russell-Westbrook-sets-surprise-career-high-vs.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook sets surprise career high vs. Knicks</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-25T22:32:44-08:00">November 25th, 10:32pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-25T22:32:44-08:00">November 25th, 10:32pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Denver Nuggets may have been laughed off the court by the New York Knicks on Monday night in a 145-118 defeat, but one of, if not the only silver lining of this crushing loss was the performance of veteran point guard Russell Westbrook. Westbrook started off slowly, much <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-jamal-murrays-eye-opening-take-why-denver-isnt-focused">like the entire Nuggets team</a>, but with Denver seemingly throwing the towel in the fourth quarter, putting all bench players in, the future Hall of Famer went to work.</p><p>Westbrook put up 24 of his 27 points on the night in the fourth quarter alone; he made eight of his 11 field-goal attempts in the period, and he was at least making the Nuggets competitive in a game that was otherwise already decided in favor of the Knicks. And in so doing, the 36-year-old point guard set a career-high in rather surprising fashion.</p><p>According to StatMuse on X (formerly known as Twitter), the 24 points that Westbrook scored in a single quarter is <a href="https://x.com/statmuse/status/1861262588845129768?s=46" rel="noopener">good for the most points he has scored</a> in a single quarter for his entire career. The Nuggets guard simply went on a heater, and with the team’s big guns riding the bench after a lackluster performance, he had the greenest of lights as the team’s best playmaker and scorer on the floor — and he responded with an outstanding quarter even though it meant little in the grand scheme of the ballgame.</p><p>A lot has been made about Westbrook’s decline; many question just how productive he can be moving forward, especially for a Nuggets team with lofty contending aspirations. But one guarantee that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-nsfw-message-lakers-fans-dagger">Westbrook brings to the table</a> is that he’ll be playing with boundless energy on a nightly basis, and it resulted in an incredible quarter that would have allowed the Nuggets to claw back into the game had they not been so lifeless on defense all game long.</p><h2>Russell Westbrook turns back the clock despite Nuggets’ terrible night</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-guard-Russell-Westbrook-attempts-layup.jpg"></figure><p>Russell Westbrook became <a href="https://x.com/rusdaboss/status/1861290384267129189?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet" rel="noopener">just the third player</a> aged 36 years or older to score 24 points or more in a single quarter, joining the likes of Michael Jordan and Jamal Crawford. The Nuggets guard managed to turn back the clock, even for a brief period.</p><p>In the fourth quarter, Westbrook got himself into an excellent rhythm after getting to the basket for his first two baskets of the period. From that point forward, the Nuggets veteran made four jumpshots, three of them being three-pointers, and he also made an impressive lefty and-one layup after slicing through the middle of the defense.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook sets surprise career high vs. Knicks

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-nsfw-message-lakers-fans-dagger');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook sends NSFW message to Lakers fans after dagger');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-news-Russell-Westbrook-sends-NSFW-message-to-Lakers-fans-after-dagger.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook sends NSFW message to Lakers fans after dagger</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-24T13:00:20-08:00">November 24th, 1:00pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-24T14:06:28-08:00">November 24th, 2:06pm</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Russell Westbrook’s stint with the Los Angeles Lakers was less than ideal, to say the least. And while Westbrook is nearly two years removed from donning the purple and gold, the former MVP let the Lakers fans have it during the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-austin-reaves-nsfw-admission-embarrassed-nuggets">Denver Nuggets’ 127-102 win</a> last night.</p><p>Amid a dominant second half during which Denver outscored Los Angeles 70-39, Westbrook <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1860559002184122873" rel="noopener">hit a</a> three-pointer, turned to the crowd, and yelled, “Boom, b—h!”.</p><p>It was the only made triple for Westbrook on the night, but he otherwise proved effective in 24 minutes of play; off of the bench, he tallied 14 points, 7 rebounds, 11 assists, and a steal.</p><p>Saturday’s big win as a member of the Nuggets was Westbrook’s sixth game vs. the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-grading-the-3-team-russell-westbrook-dangelo-russell-trade">Lakers since the team traded him</a> during the 2022-23 season. The first five games came with the Lakers’ crosstown rivals, the Clippers, with whom Westbrook signed after being traded by the Lakers to the Utah Jazz and reaching a buyout with Utah.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Russell Westbrook was HYPED after hitting the three ball 🗣️</p><p> <a href="https://t.co/N3YSHGoB3I">pic.twitter.com/N3YSHGoB3I</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1860559002184122873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Russell Westbrook’s tenuous past with Lakers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Westbrook was drafted fourth overall in 2008 by the Seattle SuperSonics, who would become the Oklahoma City Thunder before Westbrook’s rookie season. He found great success in OKC, where he won the 2017 NBA Most Valuable Player Award and earned seven All-NBA selections in 11 seasons.</p><p>After short stints with the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards, Westbrook, a Long Beach native who attended UCLA, returned to Los Angeles via a trade from Washington to the Lakers.</p><p>The move, reportedly pushed for heavily by LeBron James, did not pan out nearly as well as the Lakers had hoped. Westbrook was criticized heavily and harshly for his play, and the Lakers missed the playoffs.</p><p>While Westbrook began the following season with the Lakers, he came off of the bench for the first time in more than a decade. Still, the team’s performance left a lot to be desired, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/clippers-news-russell-westbrook-gets-100-honest-on-joining-la-from-lakers-last-season">Westbrook was eventually dealt</a> before the trade deadline.</p><p>Although it is still possible there are harsh feelings, both the Lakers and Westbrook fared relatively well after the trade; Los Angeles became one of the best teams in the NBA and reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time since winning a championship in 2020. For his part, Westbrook found a groove with the Clippers, although postseason success eluded him and his new team as a result of injuries to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.</p><p>During this past offseason, Westbrook picked up a $4 million player option before being traded to the Jazz for the second time. He was quickly waived by the Jazz, clearing the way for him to join up with three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-6-8-million-contract">Nuggets on a two-year minimum contract</a>.</p><p>So far with Denver, Westbrook is averaging 11.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in nearly 25 minutes per game. Additionally, his three-point percentage (35.8%) is currently the highest mark of his career.</p><p>Westbrook and the Nuggets will next meet the Lakers, who have lost 13 of the last 14 vs. Denver, on Feb. 22.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook sends NSFW message to Lakers fans after dagger

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/thunder-news-james-harden-title-proclamation-kevin-durant-russell-westbrook');   ga('set', 'title', 'James Harden’s Thunder title proclamation with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Thunder-news-James-Hardens-bold-OKC-championship-proclamation-with-Kevin-Durant-Russell-Westbrook.jpg"></figure><h1>James Harden’s Thunder title proclamation with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-22T11:47:08-08:00">November 22nd, 11:47am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-22T12:06:53-08:00">November 22nd, 12:06pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It is incredible to think the Oklahoma City Thunder once housed three future Most Valuable Players: Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. After the 2011-12 Thunder lost 4-1 to the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals, Oklahoma City traded Westbrook to the Houston Rockets. In a recent episode of the “Earn Your Leisure” podcast, Harden says a disagreement over a contract extension ultimately led to his departure. James believes he, Durant, and Westbrook would have won at least two championships if he stayed.</p><p>However, the Thunder’s unwillingness to settle on an additional $4 million at the negotiating table ultimately <a href="https://x.com/thewestbrookera/status/1859750935867818375?s=46&amp;t=r1n-d07DECxf6Tvlm4h8Xw" rel="noopener">ended</a> negotiations, according to Harden.</p><p>“My rookie year, we’re the 8th seed, and we play the Lakers; we scared them and had OKC cracking, and they won the chip. My second year, we play Dallas in the WCF, and they win the chip. My 3rd year, we in the finals against the Heat, and that was Bron’s first ring. My 4th year, it would’ve been ON, and then I got traded a few days before the season,” Harden said. “Eventually, I would have had to end up starting. We would’ve won 2 chips at the least if I hadn’t got traded. It was over 4 million dollars”.</p><p>The Thunder reportedly used the extra money to re-sign Serge Ibaka to keep the frontcourt intact. Still, if Harden had stayed, would he have ever risen to become an elite star?</p><p>“Probably not,” Harden replied. “It’s hard to say because I was eventually going to have to start starting. It was cracking. I was willing to sacrifice for the team. As a team, it made us better. But I was eventually going to have to start starting. My swag was getting there, too, in my fourth year; I’m not a sixth man anymore. I already got that. But, it was over 4 million dollars. But it was a blessing, though, because coming off the Finals, I didn’t play well. Then, Olympics, an opportunity to be around all these vets.”</p><p>For Harden, becoming the Rockets’ franchise player expedited his ascension to an NBA superstar.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">James Harden says if Russ, KD and him stayed together in OKC they would’ve won 2 championships minimum and OKC didn’t pay him over only $4 million </p><p>“My rookie year we’re the 8th seed and we play the Lakers, we scared them and had OKC cracking and they won the chip. My second… <a href="https://t.co/UhJ6ovBtVq">pic.twitter.com/UhJ6ovBtVq</a></p><p>— 08-17 Russ fan (@TheWestbrookEra) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheWestbrookEra/status/1859750935867818375?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p> </p><h2><b>James Harden says 2011-12 Thunder were championship material</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/James-Harden-and-Kevin-Durant.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Before <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-news-lou-williams-media-darling-admission-shai-gilgeous-alexander" rel="noopener">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the young, contending Thunder</a>, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and the 2011-12 Thunder were the team to look out for in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, Durant was the only one of the three to win a championship when he signed with the Golden State Warriors.</p><p>Still, Harden is hopeful he’ll get another shot between now and the end of his NBA career.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

James Harden’s Thunder title proclamation with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-eye-opening-goat-point-guard-take');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook gets eye-opening GOAT point guard take');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-news-Russell-Westbrook-gets-eye-opening-GOAT-point-guard-take.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook gets eye-opening GOAT point guard take</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-21T13:50:32-08:00">November 21st, 1:50pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-21T21:12:37-08:00">November 21st, 9:12pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Russell <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-makes-nba-triple-double-history-vs-grizzlies">Westbrook recently made history</a>, becoming the first player to record 200 career triple-doubles. For years, Westbrook has shown his ability to make an impact on the floor in many different ways at the point guard position, and it feels like he’s on a level all by himself.</p><p>Accomplishments like these bring out the GOAT debates, and Rashad McCants shared his take on Gil’s Arena about why he thinks Westbrook is the <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1859675564849889372" rel="noopener">greatest point guard of all time</a>.</p><p>“By metric, that would make Westbrook the greatest PG of all time…. Four times he averaged a triple-double at the PG position,” McCants said.</p><p>“We talk about the double-double being the metric of highest from a point guard. So how can Westbrook be all the way up here at 200 triple-doubles? None of y’all can’t reach him,” McCants continued. “Magic [Johnson], all y’all, you can’t come back and get more triple-doubles than him, you can’t come back and make it look better than him. He made it look so easy that we just stopped looking at it.</p><p>“Statistically, Russell Westbrook is the greatest point guard of all time.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"By metric, that would make Westbrook the greatest PG of all time…. Four times he averaged a triple-double at the PG position."</p><p>Rashad McCants on why Russell Westbrook could be considered the greatest PG of all time.</p><p>Thoughts 🤔</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/GilsArenaShow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GilsArenaShow</a>)<a href="https://t.co/lQthMGrczN">pic.twitter.com/lQthMGrczN</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1859675564849889372?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Westbrook definitely deserves to be in the conversation when talking about some of the best point guards in the league, but some will then start to bring championships into the debate, which wouldn’t be fair to what he’s been able to accomplish.</p><h2>Russell Westbrook makes triple-double history</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Russell-Westbrook_62f626.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Russell Westbrook set the triple-double record against the Memphis Grizzlies, and after the game, he shared how it felt to accomplish the feat.</p><p>“I’m truly grateful to be able to play the game long enough to be able to do that,” Westbrook said. “But I’m also appreciative of the ones who came before me. And to be able to set the table, I’m grateful for that as well. Great night. My teammates made it easy for me and allowed me to go out and compete, and I’m grateful for the entire journey.”</p><p>Ironically, Westbrook is playing on the same team as the person who <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-nikola-jokic-triple-double-quip-historic-game">could potentially break his record</a> in the future, Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets center is currently averaging a triple-double and playing at a high level once again, and it wouldn’t be a surprise that in the future, he catches up with Westbrook.</p><p>For now, it’s amazing to see what Westbrook has been able to do and continues to do every night, and he’s not done racking up triple-doubles while he’s playing.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook gets eye-opening GOAT point guard take

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-nikola-jokic-triple-double-quip-historic-game');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook makes Nikola Jokic triple-double quip after historic game');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-news-Russell-Westbrook-makes-Nikola-Jokic-triple-double-quip-after-historic-game.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook makes Nikola Jokic triple-double quip after historic game</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-20T11:07:40-08:00">November 20th, 11:07am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-20T11:27:57-08:00">November 20th, 11:27am</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Denver <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-weighs-triple-double-battle-nikola-jokic">Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic</a> gets triple-doubles in his sleep, and is on pace to break his teammate Russell Westbrook’s all-time record. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-nikola-jokic-historic-triple-double-team-up">Westbrook has 200</a> and Jokic has 136, but the 29-year-old Jokic has plenty of time to catch up to the 36-year-old Westbrook.</p><p>Westbrook sounded off about how it feels to <a href="https://twitter.com/katywinge/status/1859108957408649727" rel="noopener">be on the same team</a> as the player looking to break his record, via Altitude TV’s Katy Winge.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Asked Russell Westbrook after the game about being on the same team as the player that’s chasing his triple-double record. </p><p>He calls Nikola Jokić the best basketball player in the world and says the two can “take turns” getting triple-doubles <a href="https://t.co/sfAv7N2mdO">pic.twitter.com/sfAv7N2mdO</a></p><p>— Katy Winge (@katywinge) <a href="https://twitter.com/katywinge/status/1859108957408649727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“It’s good, man. Nikola is one of the best in the world,” the nine-time All-Star said. “Not one of, <i>is</i> the best in the world…Either one of us can take turns [getting triple-doubles] and be lucky enough to be able to do so. I’m grateful for the opportunity to play alongside him.”</p><p>Jokic, who missed Tuesday’s NBA Cup win over the Memphis Grizzlies for personal reasons, is averaging 29.7 points on 56.3% shooting with 13.7 rebounds and 11.7 assists across 10 games this year. Westbrook, though, is still dangerous, as he recorded 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting with 14 assists and 10 rebounds off the bench against Memphis, securing his 200th career triple-double.</p><p>If Jokic and Westbrook do take turns having excellent performances this season, expect it to be a long one for opposing teams.</p><h2><b>Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook are historic duo for Nuggets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-guard-Russell-Westbrook-4-passes-the-ball.jpg"><figcaption>© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Westbrook is the first player in NBA history with 200 triple-doubles, 19 more than Hall-of-Famer Oscar Robertson, whose record he broke in 2021. The one on Tuesday night was his first with Denver.</p><p>The 2017 NBA MVP sounded off on <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/11/20/russell-westbrook-200-triple-doubles-nba-record/" rel="noopener">what the moment meant to him</a>, via The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando.</p><p>“I’m truly grateful to be able to play the game long enough to be able to do that,” the former MVP said postgame. “But I’m also appreciative of the ones who came before me. And to be able to set the table, I’m grateful for that as well. Great night. My teammates made it easy for me and allowed me to go out and compete, and I’m grateful for the entire journey.”</p><p>While Westbrook is past his prime, he’s still a more than capable role player who is a perfect compliment to the beastly Jokic. The Grizzlies game was a reminder to the rest of the league that the Nuggets are still a force to be reckoned with even without their superstar.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook makes Nikola Jokic triple-double quip after historic game

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-technical-foul-savage-gesture-grizzlies-player');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook slapped with technical foul after gesture on Grizzlies player');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-news-Russell-Westbrook-slapped-with-technical-foul-after-savage-gesture-on-Grizzlies-player.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook slapped with technical foul after gesture on Grizzlies player</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-19T20:23:43-08:00">November 19th, 8:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-19T20:23:43-08:00">November 19th, 8:23pm</time><address><a>Christopher Smith</a>Christopher Smith is an associate editor covering a variety of sports with a beat focus on the Chicago Sky for ClutchPoints. The Aurora, Illinois native earned a degree in philosophy from Creighton University, where he also competed as a Division 1 Cross Country runner.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Denver Nuggets took on an <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/is-nuggets-nikola-jokic-playing-vs-grizzlies-latest-nba-cup-injury-report">intense interconference matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies</a> on Tuesday night. The Nuggets were tested early, but they eventually pulled away to win 122-110. Russell Westbrook had a huge performance off the bench, but things got heated in the third quarter between the veteran guard and a Grizzlies center.</p><p>The Nuggets led the Grizzlies by nearly twenty points with less than a minute and a half to go in the third quarter. Westbrook put a sharp move on Santi Aldama and blew past him for an easy layup, but Westbrook did not stop there. He turned and gave Aldama a stare for a couple of seconds before running back up the court, resulting in officials <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1859070267667919070" rel="noopener">handing the guard a technical foul</a>, as seen on X (formerly Twitter):</p><p>https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1859070267667919070</p><p>Russell Westbrook’s play may have cost the Nuggets two free throws, but his overall efforts made the ultimate difference. He finished the matchup with a triple-double of 12 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds.</p><p>Before Tuesday’s game, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-michael-malone-russell-westbrook-enjoying-new-learning-experiences-grizzlies-nikola-jokic-jamal-murray">Michael Malone gave Westbrook high praise for his unique energy</a>:</p><p>“Being around Russell Westbrook every day is something that I have really enjoyed,” Malone said after the Nuggets’ 105-90 win over the Grizzlies on Nov. 17, per Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints. “Because of the fire, the emotion, and the edge he brings each and every night.”</p><p>Dodson wrote about how Malone and Denver needed to give the Grizzlies a different look for their rematch. He said Memphis was too dialed in on Jamal Murray, so changing Westbrook’s dynamic could be the key to allowing Murray more freedom.</p><p>Westbrook stepped up big time on Tuesday, and Murray did as well. Murray finished with 27 points, six assists, and four rebounds.</p><p>Denver improved their record to 8-5 on the season, which places them fifth in the Western Conference standings. Can the Nuggets stay on their streak and keep climbing the conference?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook slapped with technical foul after gesture on Grizzlies player

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-makes-nba-triple-double-history-vs-grizzlies');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook makes NBA triple-double history vs. Grizzlies');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Russell-Westbrook-makes-NBA-triple-double-history-vs-Grizzlies.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook makes NBA triple-double history vs. Grizzlies</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-19T20:02:57-08:00">November 19th, 8:02pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-19T20:04:35-08:00">November 19th, 8:04pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Over the past few seasons, life without Nikola Jokic has been extremely difficult for the Denver Nuggets. But with Jokic out for the third consecutive game due to personal reasons, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/is-nuggets-nikola-jokic-playing-vs-grizzlies-latest-nba-cup-injury-report">Nuggets will have to dig deep</a> within themselves if they were to keep their hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup alive. And on Tuesday night, they got good performances from multiple players in their 122-110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies — with future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook making history in the process.</p><p>Thrust into a larger overall role with Jokic out, Westbrook delivered a vintage stat-sheet stuffing game. The Nuggets guard tallied 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists for his first triple-double of the season. This gives him 200 triple-doubles for his career, making him the <a href="https://x.com/statmuse/status/1859076510713270682" rel="noopener">first player</a> in NBA history to reach the 200 triple-double mark, as noted by StatMuse on X (formerly known as Twitter).</p><p>Westbrook was already the all-time leader in triple-doubles (he has owned this distinction since 2021, when he tallied the 182nd triple-double of his career back when he was with the Washington Wizards), and this only increases the gap between him and the number two player on the all-time rankings (Oscar Robertson with 181).</p><p>The Nuggets needed a big-time infusion of energy on Tuesday if they were to return to winning ways after their two straight defeats amid Jokic’s absence. If there’s anything Westbrook provides, it’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-michael-malone-russell-westbrook-enjoying-new-learning-experiences-grizzlies-nikola-jokic-jamal-murray">hustle, effort, and a competitive fire</a> that no one can extinguish. And even if he may no longer be the player he once was when he was in his prime, games like the one he had on Tuesday shows that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank — as long as he doesn’t overdo anything.</p><h2><b>Russell Westbrook, Nuggets get back to winning ways</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-guard-Russell-Westbrook-4-passes-the-ball.jpg"></figure><p>The Nuggets did not start the 2024-25 season off on the best of notes. It was clear that their spacing was not as good as it has been in years past, and Russell Westbrook himself struggled quite mightily with shooting the ball. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-mvp-mondays-24-25-nikola-jokic-overtakes-jayson-tatum-anthony-davis">Having Nikola Jokic,</a> however, is quite the panacea. Jokic decided to up his game even further, dominating any and all opposition by tallying four straight monster triple-doubles on exceptional shooting efficiency before his current three-game absence.</p><p>It then became apparent that the Nuggets will be needing Jokic back as soon as possible after suffering two consecutive disappointing defeats to a shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans team and a Grizzlies squad without Ja Morant. But on Tuesday night, the entire Nuggets team showed up as they improved to 8-5 on the season.</p><p>Westbrook will be garnering the headlines for his historic triple-double feat, but it was a team effort that got the Nuggets across the finish line. Five different players scored in double figures, with Jamal Murray dropping a game-high 27 points. Even Dario Saric, who was out of the rotation when Jokic was active, had his moment, nailing the three that gave the Nuggets an insurmountable lead.</p><p>The Nuggets will have two full days of rest before they resume NBA Cup action on Friday night in what should be a barnburner against the Dallas Mavericks.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook makes NBA triple-double history vs. Grizzlies

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-michael-malone-russell-westbrook-enjoying-new-learning-experiences-grizzlies-nikola-jokic-jamal-murray');   ga('set', 'title', 'Russell Westbrook’s ‘fire, emotion, edge’ key to Nuggets unlocking Jamal Murray');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Mike-Malone-Russell-Westbrook-enjoying-new-learning-experiences.jpg"></figure><h1>Russell Westbrook’s ‘fire, emotion, edge’ key to Nuggets unlocking Jamal Murray</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-18T11:08:34-08:00">November 18th, 11:08am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-18T11:08:34-08:00">November 18th, 11:08am</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-gets-positive-update-absence-from-nuggets">Denver Nuggets were missing Nikola Jokic (personal reasons)</a> for the second consecutive game and again came up short in a 105-90 loss versus the Memphis Grizzlies. Nuggets head coach Michael Malone might have to mix things up a bit in the rematch on November 19, which also has NBA Cup implications. Thankfully, there is an easy fix sitting on the bench. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-history-bench">Russell Westbrook has been sensational</a> since settling in next to Jokic but it might be time to side the future Hall of Famer into the starting lineup.</p><p>There are many reasons to believe Malone will consider the move. While the coach had “no news” on the Jokic family before the game, Malone did tell ClutchPoints <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1858264445048258695" rel="noopener">enjoying new learning experiences</a> with Westbrook on the roster.</p><p>“Being around Russell Westbrook every day is something that I have really enjoyed,” Malone said. “Because of the fire, the emotion, and the edge he brings each and every night.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mike Malone with a Nikola Jokic update, learning about the Nuggets news dynamic, working with Russell Westbrook….</p><p>and a funny quip about me being long winded.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MileHighBasketball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MileHighBasketball</a> <a href="https://t.co/pFZCBZie0q">pic.twitter.com/pFZCBZie0q</a></p><p>— Dodson (@DoingItDodson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1858264445048258695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>It might be time for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-rockstar-treatment-michael-malone">Nuggets to harness Westbrook’s energy differently</a>. Malone needs to give the Grizzlies a different look and allow Jamal Murray a bit more freedom. Memphis targeted Murray immediately in the November 17 matchup, making the former All-Star a one-dimensional non-threat.  Murray finished with 13 points on six made shots (6-of-15 FGA) and six turnovers.</p><p>The Grizzlies won in a route while Ja Morant (hip) hung out on the sidelines. The Nuggets already bet that Westbrook’s three-hour warmup routine professionalism will rub off on the young guys trying to carve out a career. Getting developmental minutes with Westbrook playing start minutes while Jokic and Aaron Gordon (calf strain) should pay off in a big way when the postseason starts.</p><h2><b>Nuggets riding with Russell Westbrook, Jamal Murray</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Russell-Westbrook.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>So about that bet. Westbrook has been <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?PerMode=PerGame&amp;sort=PTS&amp;dir=-1&amp;TeamID=1610612743&amp;LastNGames=6" rel="noopener">money in the bank</a> over the past six games in a limited role (25.9 minutes per game). He is averaging 13.2 points, 6.2 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals/blocks per game. The Nuggets need another off-the-dribble ball-handling threat to alleviate pressure on Murray and Westbrook’s outside shooting has been more than serviceable (45%) from outside the arc lately.</p><p>The Nuggets need a spark. Christian Braun, Julian Strawther, and Peyton Watson will be held accountable but the first part of rising to All-Star status is energy. Unfortunately, Strawther told The Athletic’s Todd Jones <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5924064/2024/11/18/nuggets-nikola-jokic-losses-jamal-murray/" rel="noopener">that was not the case</a> in the first of a two-games-in-three-days set against the Grizzlies.</p><p>“We’ve kind of had a helpless energy out there,” admitted Strawther.</p><p>That has never been the case for any team that allows Westbrook to set the tone, and Malone knows it. What better time to deploy something funky? The NBA Cup courts just help add to the visual dynamic, right? It’s a low-risk move in a high-reward situation and the Nuggets need Murray back on track in a hurry.</p><p>“Obviously, we need Jamal. Especially when Nikola and Aaron are out, we need Jamal to be a guy that can lead us. And that’s not just on Jamal Murray. I can help him. I’m drawing up plays,” Malone explained. “No matter what we’re running and who we’re running it for, our screens and our ability to create space and separation have to be much-improved to get those guys better looks, and more clean looks.”</p><p>Murray is experiencing some growing pains while adjusting to the new team dynamic. The 27-year-old is posting just 17.3 points per game on 39.9% shooting from the field while hitting only 30.2% from three-point range. Inserting Westbrook into the starting lineup will at least give opponents like the Grizzlies something else to worry about on the scouting report.</p><p>If nothing else, it would allow Malone to see a new look, learn, and add it to the data points to consider before the NBA Playoffs begin.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Russell Westbrook’s ‘fire, emotion, edge’ key to Nuggets unlocking Jamal Murray

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-history-bench');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook climbs history books despite coming off bench');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Russell-Westbrook-climbs-history-books-despite-coming-off-bench.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook climbs history books despite coming off bench</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-11T14:18:55-08:00">November 11th, 2:18pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-11T14:49:29-08:00">November 11th, 2:49pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It turns out <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-kendrick-perkins-brutally-honest-take-denvers-title-hopes">all of the panic around the Denver Nuggets </a>was a bit premature. After an 0-2 start where the Nuggets legitimately looked like one of the worst teams in the NBA, they have turned things around in a hurry.</p><p>Michael Malone and company have won five games in a row and seven of their last eight to launch themselves right back toward the top of the Western Conference. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-humble-response-stat-lines">Nikola Jokic has looked like an MVP candidate</a>, Michael Porter Jr. has started to play better, and the Nuggets’ young pieces have started to grow into the roles they’re being asked to play.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-takes-shot-thunder-denver-big-win">Russell Westbrook has also played some good basketball</a> over the last few weeks after a few bad games to open the season. The former Oklahoma City Thunder star continues to make NBA history while serving as the Nuggets’ sixth man as well. After a 10-assist outing on Friday night against the Miami Heat, Westbrook <a href="https://x.com/StatMamba/status/1855107854320964049" rel="noopener">now has the seventh-most games</a> with 10 or more assists off the bench in NBA history, according to StatMamba.</p><p>Westbrook has started to build chemistry with Jokic and the rest of the Nuggets’ supporting cast and also filled in as the starter while Jamal Murray was out with a concussion. If the two sides can continue to build and improve together, maybe the Nuggets can be the first team to get Westbrook to fully click in a supporting role.</p><h2><b>Nikola Jokic dominating on Nuggets’ win streak</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Jokic.jpg"><figcaption>Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Nuggets’ recent hot streak has been largely fueled by their MVP, who looks like he will be a strong candidate for the award once again in 2024-25. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-michael-malone-mvp-voters-nikola-jokic-massive-performance">Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the NBA</a> through 10 games and is the main reason that the Nuggets find themselves near the top of the Western Conference even after a disastrous first few games.</p><p>For the season, Jokic is averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 11.7 assists per game. He is currently leading the league in both rebounds and assists while shooting over 56% both from the field and from the 3-point line. Jokic also already has six triple-doubles, including four games in a row with one, so his multifaceted skillset has been on full display.</p><p>Sunday night may have been Jokic’s best performance yet. While locked in a close duel with the Dallas Mavericks, who were benefiting from a crazy night of their own from Kyrie Irving, Jokic continued to make play after pay with both his scoring and his passing. He finished the game with 37 points, 18 rebounds, and 15 assists on 13-for-21 shooting. On a night where some of the Nuggets role players didn’t bring their best, Jokic’s dominance lifted them over the top.</p><p>Another MVP would be Jokic’s fourth award in the last five seasons, which would be a ridiculous feat not seen since LeBron James in the late 2000s and early 2010s, but it feels like he’s going to be right in the mix once again if he’s able to stay healthy. If he does that and the Nuggets keep winning, it could be hard not to vote for him once again.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook climbs history books despite coming off bench

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-rockstar-treatment-michael-malone');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook gets ‘rockstar’ treatment from Michael Malone');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-news-Russell-Westbrook-gets-rockstar-treatment-from-Michael-Malone.jpg"></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook gets ‘rockstar’ treatment from Michael Malone</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-07T08:05:00-08:00">November 7th, 8:05am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-07T08:05:00-08:00">November 7th, 8:05am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As a nine-time All-Star and a former league MVP, Russell Westbrook doesn’t get the love he deserves. While Westbrook has been inconsistent through the years, his athleticism and understanding of the game still make him a valuable asset. The Denver Nuggets are beginning to figure that out, as Westbrook has stepped up in the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-michael-malone-worrying-jamal-murray-injury-update">absence of Jamal Murray, who has been in concussion protocol</a> over the last couple of games.</p><p>Despite jumping from team to team over the last several years, Westbrook is beginning to look comfortable in Denver, especially after he led the Nuggets to a 124-122 victory at home over the Oklahoma City Thunder. In this game against the undefeated Thunder, Westbrook led all scorers with 29 points, six rebounds, and six assists. He also helped make an impact defensively, which is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP0nzL9hAr0" rel="noopener">where head coach Michael Malone found the most value</a> in the soon-to-be 36-year-old veteran.</p><p>“I think he’s been incredible for us. You look at the offensive productivity tonight… I think defensively he’s been a rockstar,” Malone told reporters following Wednesday night’s victory. “And what I love about Russell Westbrook: 17-year vet, leopards don’t change their spots, but he is trying so hard to be disciplined. He’s trying to do the things we’re asking him to do, and I appreciate that so much. Because a lot of times, at 17 years in, you are who you are. But he cares, man. He is so invested in this team and what he’s bringing to this team, and he’s so hard on himself.</p><p>“I can coach a guy like Russell Westbrook any day because he’s a competitor and he’s a tough dude. I want him in my foxhole.”</p><p>Over his first six games with Denver, Westbrook struggled to make an impact. Other than a 22-point performance off the bench against the Brooklyn Nets, Westbrook only averaged 8.2 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds from the bench for the Nuggets in this stretch. Without Murray in the lineup, Russ has been more engaged and given more opportunities to shine, resulting in him averaging 25.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists over the Nuggets’ last two games.</p><p>More importantly, Westbrook is simply impacting winning by doing the little thing Malone alluded to on defense. Westbrook is and has always been a competitor, which is why he has fit in perfectly with Malone coaching him.</p><h2><b>Russell Westbrook, Michael Malone relationship</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/IMG_0798.jpeg"><figcaption>Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Because of Westbrook’s demeanor and style of play, he can be a tough player to coach sometimes. After all, his out-of-control style of play leads to quick baskets and getting his opponents out of rhythm defensively. Sure, turnovers happen with Westbrook, but he is always one of the smartest players on the court as far as seeing things happen in real time.</p><p>This is what Malone values in the 17-year veteran. He plays hard and gives it his all every possession, which is why Malone wanted Westbrook in Denver in case something was to happen to Murray. Well, Murray went down with an injury, and Westbrook has stepped up tremendously over their last two games.</p><p>The relationship Westbrook and Malone have is still growing. After all, they have only been together since the summer. But in this short time, Westbrook and Malone have built a strong relationship on trust and confidence. Not to mention, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-bluntly-reveals-similarity-to-michael-malone">Russ tends to believe they are both crazy</a> when it comes to basketball.</p><p>“We’re both a little psycho in the head a little bit,” Westbrook said earlier this season, via DNVR’s Harrison Wind. “We’ve learned that from the get-go, which is why we get along.”</p><p>After beginning the season with a 2-3 record, the Nuggets have rattled off three straight wins and have won five of their last six games. Denver is certainly trending in the right direction, and it finally seems like Westbrook has found a team with a coach that truly values what he brings to the table.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook gets ‘rockstar’ treatment from Michael Malone

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-takes-shot-thunder-denver-big-win');   ga('set', 'title', 'Russell Westbrook takes shot at Thunder after Nuggets’ big win');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nuggets-news-Russell-Westbrook-takes-shot-at-Thunder-after-Denvers-big-win.jpg"></figure><h1>Russell Westbrook takes shot at Thunder after Nuggets’ big win</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-07T06:53:24-08:00">November 7th, 6:53am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-07T08:25:15-08:00">November 7th, 8:25am</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Oklahoma City Thunder franchise will forever hold a special place in Russell Westbrook’s heart. But at the moment, Westbrook’s heart is with the Denver Nuggets, and on the hardwood, Westbrook doesn’t have any concept of friendship if it isn’t with his teammates. He is going to do his best to snatch the soul of whoever stands in the way of him and a victory, and on Wednesday night, Westbrook turned in a season-best 29-point effort to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-russell-westbrook-bluntly-reveals-similarity-to-michael-malone">help lead the Nuggets</a> to a come-from-behind 124-122 win over the Thunder.</p><p>Westbrook is the embodiment of the “us against the world” sports mentality, and he made sure to talk up the Nuggets after they dealt the Thunder their first loss of the season — saying that, despite what the standings may show, he feels as though Denver <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1854385048633410003" rel="noopener">has the better squad.</a></p><p>“Right now, they got the best record, but I feel like we got a better team, and tonight we showed that,” Westbrook told Vic Lombardi of Altitude TV in his postgame interview.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Right now, they got the best record, but I feel like we got a better team, and tonight we showed that.”</p><p>Russell Westbrook after the Nuggets handed the Thunder their first loss of the season 🗣️</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/AltitudeTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AltitudeTV</a>)<a href="https://t.co/UHmVHg00sH">pic.twitter.com/UHmVHg00sH</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1854385048633410003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>Of course, Westbrook would not say anything else. It’s not as if he’s going to dampen the Nuggets’ positive mood following a resounding win over one of the favorites to win it all by saying that the Thunder, indeed, have the better roster. Westbrook is someone who rides or dies with the team he’s playing for, and he’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-aaron-gordon-ready-for-war-with-russell-westbrook">already representing the Nuggets</a> with beaming pride, making him an incredible ambassador for the franchise.</p><p>Westbrook has always been one of those players whose value is greatly appreciated when media members and team personnel get to work with him much more closely, and the Nuggets media, fanbase, and locker room is certainly discovering what it means to have the 35-year-old guard in their corner.</p><p>But now, Westbrook’s contributions off the court and his overall positive effect on the team is being matched by his contributions on the hardwood. And with the Nuggets still weathering the absences of both Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, the improvement in Westbrook’s play could not have come at a better time.</p><h2><b>Nuggets may be one piece away from return to true title contention</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Nuggets-point-guard-Russell-Westbrook-4-dribbles.jpg"></figure><p>One of the major concerns surrounding the Nuggets heading into the season was their floor-spacing. Last season, despite having Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on the roster, the Nuggets were the 30th-ranked team in terms of threes attempted per game. Now, without a one-for-one Caldwell-Pope replacement, the Nuggets have had to rely on Christian Braun, Julian Strawther, and Aaron Gordon to provide some outside marksmanship.</p><p>This has made the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-brutally-honest-denver-shooting-woes-loss-thunder">Nuggets’ spacing that much more cramped</a>; even though those three have been shooting well, they don’t command too much attention on the perimeter, allowing the opposition to cramp the paint. This is in contrast to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team with shooters across multiple positions that then make operating in space possible for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.</p><p>The Nuggets may have to acquire another 3-and-D player within the next few months so they could back up Westbrook’s claim that they have the better team that the Thunder.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
12.0	4.1	6.4	0.6	1.7

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
12.0	4.1	6.4	0.6	1.7

Russell Westbrook news

Russell
Westbrook news