Russell Westbrook was wide open.
That was by design. Of all the things the Clippers had to defend, they had chosen that Westbrook behind the 3-point line in the left corner was the least of their concern.
The future Hall of Famer has been known for almost every skill in his NBA career except his 3-point shooting. But the Nuggets, down a point, needed this.
Westbrook rose up, his signature high-rising jumper, and he let fly one of the smoothest strokes of his career.
Count it.
“An all-time great who has been doused with consistent criticism in the latter years of his career has come up with massive plays down the stretch,” ESPN’s Ryan Ruocco said after the shot.
“An all-time great who has been doused with consistent criticism in the latter years of his career has come up with massive plays down the stretch…” – Ryan Ruocco
“He helps you more than he hurts you. That’s why this guy is a Hall of Fame player.” – Bob Myers ??️ #NBA pic.twitter.com/Etkb6dqwyd
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 19, 2025
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It didn’t go down as the game-winner, because James Harden sent the game to overtime on a nifty floater at the other end. But without Westbrook’s shot, the Nuggets wouldn’t have had a chance to eventually win it in OT.
Westbrook looked to be on the outs just a couple weeks ago. David Adelman took over as interim coach, and in his first game, Jalen Pickett got the minutes that usually go to Westbrook.
But the former Oklahoma City star got his groove back in the final two games of the regular season and took that momentum into the playoffs.
The Nuggets didn’t start Westbrook on Saturday, but they used him in their finishing lineup in favor of Michael Porter Jr.
Westbrook was the best offensive rebounder on the floor, getting the Nuggets multiple extra possessions in overtime as they came back from 15 points down. He forced a game-sealing turnover in overtime by jumping the passing lane against his former Thunder teammate and knocking the ball out of bounds off Harden.
And when it counted, he hit the shot that no one on the other team believed he could make.
Westbrook’s NBA legacy is already long secure as the triple-double maestro who entered the league as one of the best athletes the point guard position has ever seen.
But his later career stages haven’t been the most flattering. He’s had bad turnovers, fallen out of favor with multiple teams and overall struggled to impact winning.
On this night, Denver wouldn’t have won the game without him. Add that to Russell Westbrook’s story. He ain’t done yet.
Russell Westbrook stats in Nuggets-Clippers Game 1
Russell Westbrook played an incredible game to help the Nuggets win the first game of the playoffs at home.
Westbrook’s final stats:
- 15 points
- 8 rebounds (including 4 offensive
- 3 assists
- 2 steals
- 5-17 FG
- 2-6 3FG
- 3-4 FT
Westbrook played 34 minutes, the fifth-highest total on the Nuggets. He entered the game with 5:48 left in the third quarter and never left the floor after that.