Russell Westbrook's strong Nikola Jokic claim after Nuggets win
01/02/2025 12:09 AM
The Denver Nuggets have been playing better in recent weeks — with Russell Westbrook playing a prominent role in this stretch. On New Year’s Day, Westbrook put up another incredible outing as he continued to start in place of the injured Aaron Gordon, tallying 16 points and 11 assists to help the Nuggets earn a convincing 139-120 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
This win gives the Nuggets their 19th of the season in 32 tries, which puts them in fourth place in the congested Western Conference standings. For all of the talk regarding the Nuggets’ lack of depth, they have managed to weather the storm. And for Westbrook, this further serves to highlight the greatness of three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who had himself yet another stellar performance as he nearly recorded a triple-double by halftime (he ended with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 15 assists in their win over the Hawks).
In his postgame interview with Vic Lombardi of Altitude Sports, Westbrook showed how much he’s embraced the role of helping the Nuggets however he could — starting with making Jokic’s life easier on offense.
“He’s the best player in the world. My job is to make the game easy for him, and he does it for everybody else. And it’s a pleasure to be able to share the floor with him,” Westbrook said, via Joel Rush of Forbes Sports.
Russell Westbrook after the #Nuggets' win on his chemistry w/ Nikola Jokic:
"He's the best player in the world. My job is to make the game easy for him, and he does it for everybody else. And it's a pleasure to be able to share the floor with him."#MileHighBasketballpic.twitter.com/0ySMwdgBs5
— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) January 2, 2025
Westbrook being in the starting lineup has led to many easier scoring opportunities for Jokic; it’s no accident that Westbrook is racking up huge assist numbers for the Nuggets, especially whenever he’s starting. The 2017 NBA MVP has clearly found his joy in the Mile High City, and he’s looking more and more of an invaluable piece for the team with each passing game.
“Just a blessing man, from the man above. I’m grateful to be able to be healthy going into the new year. First win of the new year, great fans,” Westbrook added.
Russell Westbrook sets the tone for the Nuggets on both ends of the floor
Russell Westbrook has caught a ton of flak in recent years for being more detrimental than helpful to his teams. His shot selection left a lot to be desired, and the end of his Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers tenures were disastrous. But Westbrook, after a bit of a rough spell to start the 2024-25 season, has hit his stride for the Nuggets.
The Nuggets have been making excellent use of Westbrook’s elite playmaking, as he, more often than not, gets the ball to Nikola Jokic in his desired spots. And he has also played swarming defense, helping set the tone for the team on both ends of the floor as they try to regain elite status in the loaded West.
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