Russell Westbrook addresses Nuggets-Thunder playoff series as he returns to OKC
Russell Westbrook addresses Nuggets-Thunder playoff series as he returns to OKC
As the Denver Nuggets survived and advanced in their Game 7 win over the LA Clippers, the Oklahoma City Thunder have finally learned their Round 2 opponent following a week's wait.
Plenty of juicy storylines about the Thunder and Nuggets can already be written out. Both are Northwest Division rivals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic headlined another MVP race as it appears the former will finally capture the prestigious award.
There's also the Russell Westbrook factor. For the first time since being traded in 2019, the 36-year-old will play at OKC in front of a playoff crowd on Monday for Game 1. He was robbed of that opportunity with the Houston Rockets in 2020 due to The Bubble.
While he's no longer the former MVP winner, Westbrook still has similar highs and lows as a bench player. He played a big role in the Nuggets' closeout game as a jolt of energy off the bench when Denver was lethargic in the opening minutes.
Like Shawn Michaels did to Ric Flair at WrestleMania 24, Thunder fans know they must eliminate their franchise leader in most stats to get to their ultimate prize of an NBA championship. It's a bittersweet reality as the NBA has mocked Westbrook for not being a winning player and still being ringless.
But if you ask Westbrook, he wouldn't have it any other way. The Thunder know better than anybody else about the ferocious competitor he can be. He treats basketball like war. It doesn't matter if the future Hall-of-Famer still loves the city and vice versa; he still wants to help the Nuggets beat them in their playoff series.
'I don't know. That's a first. That's like home for me. I always got love for everybody there — the people, the fans. I know it's mutual, but they also know the reason why they do love me. Because I compete at a high level, and I'm going to do that every night," Westbrook said. "That's all I can do is go out, be myself & compete. You know, try to go & steal one there.'
Westbrook might get an applause the first time he checks in for the Nuggets, but from there on, Thunder fans should treat him like the opposition. It's the playoffs after all and he's another obstacle the first-seed must overcome to reach their title hopes.
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