The 2024-25 NBA season for the Denver Nuggets has experienced many ups and downs. They’ve struggled with consistency, defense, and roster holes. Yet, they hold the fifth seed in the Western Conference at 20-15. Denver is expected to be in the market for trades in the coming weeks to improve their roster. However, one aspect of their roster paying dividends is the Nuggets Russell Westbrook–Nikola Jokić tandem. So far, their pairing is proving many wrong about Westbrook’s fit with the former championship squad.
Russell Westbrook Giving Nuggets the Gold They Hoped For
Denver Nuggets Have Perfect Fit with Russell Westbrook & Nikola Jokić
It’s been a long time since Westbrook tore the league up with nightly triple-doubles and MVP-caliber basketball. He has also played for five teams since departing the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019. His career of late has played out to be quite the table-turner in many ways. That being said, Westbrook is crafting a new story this season—arguably his best season in several years.
Denver’s two-year deal with Westbrook struck over last year’s offseason sparked many confused question marks and low expectations within the NBA media. At first glance, Westbrook playing alongside Jokić and Jamal Murray appeared to be a deterrent rather than an incentive. His fit with the league’s best center, who many believe to be the best player in general, didn’t look right. However, 35 games into the season, Westbrook’s fit in Denver has been anything but unsuccessful.
Offensively Productive Unlike Past Seasons
Westbrook drew the ire of many in Los Angeles, with the Lakers accusing him of lobbing a grenade into the offense and disrupting LeBron James and Anthony Davis’s playing style. Granted, Westbrook played and looked terrible in his short stint with the Lakers. At the same time, it simply wasn’t a good fit, so not all the blame can be directed at him. On the other hand, Westbrook has shown to be an offensive gift alongside Jokić in Denver. His off-the-ball cutting, for example, has added a jolt to the Nuggets offense. Westbrook is cutting to the basket on 8.2% of his possessions—a career-high. Jokić has more often than not been the one to get him the ball mid-cut, leading to a shot attempt at the rim.
In a little act of paying it forward, Westbrook assists Jokić more than anyone else on the team, including Murray. A 20-assist gap between Westbrook and Murray (84 t0 64) shows that Westbrook is continuously looking for Jokić on the floor with the intent of getting him the ball. Westbrook is only averaging 12.8 points, far behind Nuggets main point-getters in Jokić, Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. However; there is no questioning Westbrook’s offensive impact in playmaking and assists (6.6 per game).
Surpassing Expectations
Jokić has a knack for getting the most out of his teammates, and he’s excelling with Westbrook beside him. Westbrook is also a significant reason why Jokić is playing so incredibly well this season. He’s showing the makings of another MVP-esque season. The NBA’s latest KIA MVP Ladder has Jokić at number one in chances of winning the award. Westbrook has played a large part in Jokić’s bidding.
Westbrook came into this season with moderately low expectations. Well, he has turned the tables on those expectations and has shown everyone why his place with the Nuggets is his best fit since the days of old with Kevin Durant.
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