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Russell Westbrook's constant effort on the court has garnered praise from Denver Nuggets interim coach Davis Adelman.
Westbrook has developed plenty of knacks throughout his career of being an aggressive scorer, rebounder and playmaker. This has resulted in him getting a lot of attention, both positive and negative, but he still shows he can produce as a key player off the bench.
Adelman reflected on the impact Westbrook has provided for the Nuggets this season, per The Athletic's Law Murray. What he said showed he is aware of the former All Star's identity that will allow Denver to have an edge over their opponents.
“Russ is Russ. He’s gonna play stubborn, wild, aggressive basketball. And that’s what we want,” Adelman said.
What's next for Russell Westbrook, Nuggets
Even though Russell Westbrook is no longer at the peak of his powers from years ago, he has remained solid in the Nuggets' rotation as one of their most important players.
Their first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers is a major example of this. In four of the five games he took part in, Westbrook is averaging 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. He is shooting 39.6% from the field, including 39.1% from beyond the arc.
Despite his ups and downs shooting the ball, Westbrook has maintained his presence in making big plays throughout the series. Game 1 saw him make a clutch 3-pointer that forced overtime and resulted in Denver winning, while Game 5 had him score 21 points to help the Nuggets secure the pivotal victory.
Whether Westbrook is scoring or playmaking, the Nuggets will not have any doubt in his ability to get involved in the game. To close out the Clippers, they will need him to be active on both sides of the ball.
Winning Game 6 will allow the Nuggets to advance to the West Semifinals, where they face the 1-seed Oklahoma City Thunder. If they lose to the Clippers, however, they will host Game 7 in a “win or go home” situation on May 3.
