Russell Westbrook has settled into a role that fits his skills and abilities. During his recent stints with other teams, he has been seen at times as the scapegoat. Since being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2019 offseason, Westbrook has bounced from team to team. The Denver Nuggets are Westbrook’s fifth team in his last six seasons after spending his first 11 with the Thunder. So far, Westbrook has become more comfortable playing alongside the rest of his new team.
Russell Westbrook has Settled into a Role with the Nuggets
A Role Matching His Skills
The Nuggets are a pass-first team that relies on selfless players playing for the open shot. Westbrook’s style of play has developed into a similar version of that. The Nuggets have recently had backup point guards who rely on creating shots for themselves in Reggie Jackson and Bones Hyland. Westbrook has shown his balanced ability to score and get open shots for his teammates.
Since arriving with the Nuggets, he has slowly carved out a role. Westbrook is a very ebb-and-flow player, so there is no saying what type of game he will have. There will be nights he scores in bunches and those where he misses many of his shots. He is very up and down, which led some to say early on in the season that he should be cut. Despite his doubters, he has settled into his role and improved. A big reason for his improvement is the consistency of his infectious energy. He always gives 100% no matter the occasion. It has always been the case for Westbrook, which is why he has been a part of many playoff teams.
Playing Off Jokić
Westbrook has played alongside some of the best modern players in the NBA today. He has played alongside Kevin Durant, James Harden, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard. Those players are incredible in their own right, but most are score-first players. He has never once played alongside a player with the skillset of three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. Jokić is selfless with his play style, as it is the scheme the Nuggets have bought into. He is the centric point of the Nuggets’ offense and involves his teammates to get the open shot every possession.
Since Westbrook arrived in Denver, he has quickly developed chemistry with Jokić. Their two-man game is blossoming. They play extremely well off each other, leading to open shots for them or a kick out to a teammate. If Jamal Murray is off the floor, Westbrook has stepped into that role alongside Jokić. Westbrook is becoming more effective within the Nuggets’ offense with every game.
Rebounding From a Slow Start
The Nuggets’ bench was miserable to start the season. Westbrook’s poor start with the team was a big reason for that. Since then, he has rebounded and improved within his role. Through his first 11 games with the team, he averaged 10.5 points per game on 34.6% from the field and 30.6% from three. In the past six games, he averaged 15.2 points per game on 45.7% from the field and 46.4% from three. He has completely flipped around his miserable start and has found a groove.
To stay effective, he must remain aggressive in scoring. His scoring abilities have simultaneously opened up opportunities for assists. His assists went from 5.5 per contest to 6.7 over the last recent stretch. Westbrook is settling into a role that fits him and the team. He is a great fit alongside the pass-first offense of the Nuggets and should continue to prove his worth as the chemistry of the bench unit improves.
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