05/06/25 07:28:00
Printable Page
05/06 07:26 CDT Westbrook's performance against former team helps Nuggets take
1-0 lead over Thunder
Westbrook's performance against former team helps Nuggets take 1-0 lead over
Thunder
By CLIFF BRUNT
AP Sports Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) --- Russell Westbrook had yet another magic moment in
Oklahoma City.
This time, it was for the visitors.
Westbrook assisted on Aaron Gordon's game-winning 3-pointer, and the Denver
Nuggets stunned the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder 121-119 on Monday night.
Westbrook scored 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting and was a key support player
for Nikola Jokic's monster 42-point, 22-rebound performance.
It was Westbrook's first playoff game in Oklahoma City as an opponent. He
started his career with the Thunder and was revered by their fans for keeping
the team competitive after Kevin Durant left to join the Golden State Warriors
in 2016.
He had returned as an opponent in the regular season and had been cheered. Even
in a playoff game he entered as a reserve in the first quarter, he received a
loud standing ovation.
By the end of the night, he gave the fans a painful reminder of why he meant so
much to them.
"I'm always grateful, truly," he said. "You get into these fans, the people
here. They gave me a chance, they believed in me when I was a little young
teenager. ... The reason they love me is my competitive nature, competitive
spirit, and I'm going to do that for my team."
Westbrook didn't fully resemble the 2017 league MVP and two-time scoring
champion who averaged a triple-double for three different seasons in a Thunder
uniform. But he did enough to help the Nuggets rally from a double-digit
deficit late.
Westbrook said experience was critical.
"It's important," he said. "Some things you just can't teach. You know, just
knowing what's going on in the game, knowing, reading. You just kind of just go
with the flow. Experience is a big part of this time of year. And, you know,
I'm blessed to be able to be a part of the team, you know, with the experience
that we do have."
The crowd finally cheered against Westbrook when he missed a free throw with
2:18 remaining. The fans cheered again when he missed a 3-pointer that could
have given Denver the lead in the final minute.
Westbrook fouled Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren with the Thunder up one and with
9.5 seconds remaining, but Holmgren missed both free throws, setting up the
final sequence. Westbrook put pressure on the defense in the middle of the
floor, then found Gordon, who made the shot over the 7-foot-1 Holmgren.
Gordon appreciated Westbrook trusting him.
"It's nice to have it all culminate on a game winner, but it really comes down
to my teammates, like Russ making a great play and finding me in transition and
in rhythm, on time, on target," Gordon said. "It helps when you have a Hall of
Fame passer passing it to you."
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
|
