Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez couldn’t help but heap praise on Russell Westbrook after the Nuggets ran roughshod over his charges the other day.
Westbrook, he said, pretty much gave the hosts the victory with a 25-11-10 stat line in 36 minutes of action.
And he’s right for the most part; even with Aaron Gordon convalescing from a calf injury, the 2023 National Basketball Association champions pretty much had the game in hand after the half due to the inspired play of their offseason pickup.
To be sure, the Nuggets were overwhelming favorites heading into the game, not simply because of Westbrook’s capacity to perform above expectations.
After all, they had the good fortune of having three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic on their roster. And not for nothing did the latter finish with a triple-double as well; in fact, the 35-12-15 output against the Nets exceeded already-remarkable season norms.
Never mind the news that the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has taken over the top spot in the race for the Michael Jordan Trophy; it remains the 6’11” Serbian’s to lose.
That said, Westbrook has, if nothing else, lent stability to the Nuggets in the wake of Gordon’s indefinite sidelining. He has been part of the First Five in the last nine outings, and their 6-3 slate over the period is a testament to his status as a complementary piece at worst.
And given his unique skill set, it’s nothing short of a surprise. For all his travails in his stops with the Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, and Clippers, he seems to have found a home in mile-high city.
Fernandez may have been engaging in embellishment when he noted in his post-mortem that the Nets suffered setbacks both times they went up against the Nuggets because of Westbrook.
All the same, there can be no denying the impact the polarizing star has had. And if it stays mostly positive, who knows? Another title may be in the offing for the blue and yellow.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
