The Denver Nuggets bounced back from a slow start to the season and have paired their three-time MVP with an often-mocked All-Star.
The Denver Nuggets started their season 11-9 through the first 20 games of the season, which left a lot to be desired, especially for a team with very real title hopes and a three-time league MVP in Nikola Jokic.
Over the summer, the Nuggets, who got bounced in the second round in last year’s playoffs, signed Russell Westbrook to a two-year contract. Westbrook is, despite his faults, one of the best players of all time, although recent stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers made it clear that he was past his prime.
In Denver, next to Jokic, the NBA’s triple-double leader has been able to have a career resurgence after three seasons of getting mocked for being “washed.”
The Nuggets need Westbrook on the floor
Looking at Westbrook’s on/off numbers this season, the Nuggets shouldn’t be as good as they are. They bounced back from their lackluster 11-9 start and sit at 22-15, good for fourth place in a loaded Western Conference.
In recent weeks, Westbrook has been given the starting nod alongside Jamal Murray, and the pair have found a high amount of success.
In his 16 starts, the Nuggets are a blistering 12-4. Granted, their offensive rating is slightly worse when he’s on the floor (117.9 offensive rating compared to 119.8), but their assist percentage, steal percentage, and rebounding percentage are all up when he’s on the court.
Their defense is also a little bit worse when he’s playing, but the fact of the matter is he is still a well-respected scorer who opens up the floor for Jokic, Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and the rest of Denver’s players. This season, he is averaging 12.9 points per game, which is the second-lowest of his career, but his effective field goal percentage of 51.6% is the best he’s ever mustered, and his 3-point shooting of 32.4% is the third-best of his career.
However, scoring is far from the best he brings to the table.
Westbrook is Jokic’s best teammate ever
Jokic has never had an All-Star teammate, and Westbrook certainly won’t get his tenth nod this year. Jokic’s ability to be in the top five in points, rebounds, and assists year in and year out has made him an all-time great, and he is one of the most creative passers the NBA has ever seen.
This year, The Joker is averaging 9.9 assists per game, good for the second-best in the league.
Westbrook has led the league in assists three times and has posted double-digit dimes in five seasons. This year, he is averaging only 6.8 assists per game but has found Jokic on 84 different occurrences.
Those 84 assists are good for the third-best pairing in the NBA, behind only Trae Young and Jalen Johnson and Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama.
The fact that the Nuggets finally have someone on the court who can return the favor with Jokic opens up their offense in an entirely new way, allowing them to play fast. Last season, they had the league’s 27th pace. This season, they have cracked the top five.
Westbrook is no longer in his MVP-prime, but after years of being labeled a “stat padder” and “shot chucker,” he is finally playing winning basketball.
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