Westbrook’s Legacy in Oklahoma City and its Impact on the Nuggets
Russell Westbrook’s departure from Oklahoma City left no wounds on the fans, unlike the exits of Kevin Durant in 2016 and James Harden in 2013, which were more turbulent. Although Westbrook initiated his departure, the affection for him in the city endures.
In the first game of the Western Conference semifinals, when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the current MVP candidate for the Thunder, was at the free throw line, the fans stopped cheering for their new star to give a standing ovation to their former idol.
Westbrook responded with a crucial game in the decisive moments, even though the Nuggets came back from a 13-point deficit in the final quarter. The final play was especially significant.
With eight seconds remaining and Denver losing by one point, Christian Braun grabbed the rebound and passed the ball to Westbrook, who sped down the sideline.
Westbrook faced a key decision. Everyone expected him to attempt a drive to seek the winning basket. However, he surprised everyone.
Instead of taking on the Thunder’s defense, Westbrook made a perfect pass to Aaron Gordon, who scored a three-pointer from the corner to give the Nuggets a 121-119 lead with 2.8 seconds left on the clock.
“I saw Chet in the paint and my job is to penetrate and pass,” Westbrook said after the game. “AG was ready to shoot. He’s been hitting big shots all year.”
Russell Westbrook
The question is whether this decision was an isolated moment or a real change in Westbrook’s game. The Nuggets, who have already won a championship, could be influencing Westbrook. However, at other times, it has not been like that.
Westbrook emphasized the importance of supporting each other, both in successes and failures. Westbrook’s story in many ways is the story of the Nuggets in the 2024-25 season: moments of brilliance and others of disappointment.
The Nuggets don’t know how this experiment will end, but their hopes could depend on the most volatile player in the game.
If one were to observe Westbrook warming up on the Paycom Center court, three hours before the playoff games, one might think that time has stopped. At 36 years old, Westbrook still resembles the 30-year-old player in his prime.
His physique and his warm-up routine remain unchanged. The only difference is that he now warms up in the opposite basket.
Westbrook has returned to Oklahoma City as a rival player with the Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, and Clippers. However, this time it’s different, perhaps because he is now standing in the way of the team that emerged after his departure.
Westbrook’s arrival at the Nuggets was no coincidence. The Nuggets had wanted him for several years, and finally signed him as a free agent after the Clippers decided that Westbrook’s experience was not worth it.
After the Lakers waived him in a trade in February 2023, there were those in the Nuggets organization who thought the team needed someone with “a little bit of spark,” according to team president Josh Kroenke, to overcome the obstacles of the playoffs.
Nobody in the league brings Westbrook’s energy to their teams, but he’s difficult to control.
However, the idea was attractive to the Nuggets, as Jokic was in his prime, and they knew that the window to win a championship closes quickly if the objectives are not achieved.
Finally, the Nuggets decided not to sign him for fear that he would destabilize the locker room and undermine Jamal Murray’s confidence. That decision proved to be wise, as the Nuggets won their first championship.
Last offseason, the situation was different. They didn’t defend their championship, losing again in the second round. The Nuggets decided to take a chance on Westbrook, knowing he’s a player with pros and cons.
Among the pros, Westbrook is energetic, focused, and competitive. Among the cons, he can be temperamental, uncontrollable on the court, stubborn, and immature when he doesn’t get his way.
All of this has been revealed this season. Westbrook has been exactly what the Nuggets needed at times, and at others he has been their undoing. He has won and lost games on his own. He has inspired loyalty and annoyance among his teammates, sometimes on the same day.
Everyone is aware of how difficult it is to depend on someone so volatile, and he could be too.
“My ability to be a force of nature on the court is what I value most,” Westbrook said after helping the Nuggets close out the Clippers in Game 7 of the first round. “It’s going to be all of that. You take it as it comes, and whatever happens, you keep going. I’ve always been that way.”
Russell Westbrook
On April 1, the Nuggets experienced almost all of this in a span of 15 seconds. Westbrook missed an easy shot and then committed a foul that cost his team the game.
Eight days later, interim coach David Adelman demonstrated how he was going to take the reins in managing Westbrook. In Adelman’s first game, Westbrook was substituted for Jalen Pickett and played the rest of the crucial minutes. The message was clear.
The situation continued at the beginning of the playoffs. After a first-round loss, a player commented that Westbrook had changed the team’s atmosphere. However, another assistant said that Westbrook was giving his all.
Minutes after the Nuggets lost the second game against the Clippers, Adelman had a problem. There was a heated argument between Westbrook and Gordon in the locker room.
The season was on the brink of chaos, but it seemed to mark the beginning of a change. The Nuggets won three of the next four games, including a resounding victory in Game 7, where Westbrook scored 16 points.
“The good thing about this team is that we are not afraid to speak honestly,” said a player about the Game 2 discussion, “and hold each other accountable.”
Westbrook and the Nuggets have managed to put the Thunder in a constant battle. Each game is a saga.
“We’ve turned the page all year,” Westbrook said after the Game 1 victory against the Thunder. “We’ve done a good job as far as mistakes and then owning them. Addressing them and communicating. If you want to go far in this playoff run, I think you have to be honest with each other.”
These are not things Westbrook has said before. Somehow, his superpower is his kryptonite: he never changes, no matter the pressure or the situation. He despises the idea of compromise. He almost stayed out of the league rather than accept a role as a substitute with the Lakers.
“I can’t see another team doing it,” a team source said about the Nuggets signing Westbrook, “but I never thought we would.”
What is clear is that they had no other option. And they wouldn’t be here without him.
