Russell Westbrook may not be his triple-double machine, MVP Self, but on Saturday night, the watch backed up.
Westbrook reached a triple key at the end of the regulation and made the play that saves the game with 10 remaining seconds in extra time when he forced a turnover to give the Denver Nuggets a 112-110 victory in game 1 of the first round of the playoffs against their former Los Angeles clippers.
Westbrook has done almost everything to do for a curriculum in the Hall of Fame: the 36-year-old is a nine-time All-Star, MVP, twice anstation champion, three times assistance leader, and averaged a triple-double four times.
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The Denver Nuggets Guard, Russell Westbrook (4) reacts to his three -point basket in the last quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers in Ball Arena. (Ron Chenoy-Imagn images)
Except win a title.
But, his mentality and self -proclaimed description of the work could help him mark that final box.
“My job is, apologize my language, FK st up,” he said after the contest.
“That’s what it is,” said MVP’s contender Nikola Jokic after see Angels.
The Denver Nuggets Guard, Russell Westbrook (4) reacts after his defensive rotation in extra time against the Los Angeles clippers in Ball Arena. (Ron Chenoy-Imagn images)
The Pacers run beyond Bucks, 117-98, to take a 1-0 advantage in the First Round Playoff series
“Russ is Russ,” said interim coach David Adelman after improving 4-0. “Defensively, it is absolutely incredible. I was playing free security. I thought many of the reasons why ball losses occurred, even if it were not forcing, (it was) the way I was wandering and impacting the game.
“And then offensively … he attacked,” said Adelman. “Maybe we could have taken it and executed. But that’s what Russ does. I don’t think it’s going to change after 17 years. If you see someone in front of him 1 to 1, he will attack. And then he made a huge 3.”
Jokic scored 29 points and finished a double double. Aaron Gordon added 25 points and Jamal Murray 21 when the Nuggets exceeded a 15 -point deficit in the first half to be able to enter the most popular team that enters the playoffs.
The loss of clippers No. 5 was the first since March 30 in Cleveland. They arrived at the playoffs after winning 18 of 21, including their last eight.
Russell Westbrook #4 of the Denver Nuggets celebrates during the game against the Los Angeles Clippers during the Round game one of the NBA playoffs of 2025 on April 19, 2025 in Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty Images)
Game 2 is Monday night in Denver, who made the shocking movement to fire Michael Malone less than two years after winning a title, and a week before the playoffs began.
