Chandler Parsons shared a bold and interesting take regarding Russell Westbrook‘s place in the Denver Nuggets rotation ahead of their 2025 playoff campaign.
“If I’m Adelman, I’m going with Westbrook,” said Parsons. “In a playoff series, I’m trusting Russell Westbrook, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, more than a [Jalen] Pickett.”
He added, “You can start Pickett. But I feel like, [when] you’re closing games to close a series, I’m going with Russell Westbrook.”
Russell Westbrook should start for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs, says Chandler Parsons 👀
"They were the best team in the NBA with Russ in the starting lineup…come a playoff series, I'm playing Russell Westbrook."@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/j0xegU41lK
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 14, 2025
Russell Westbrook is undoubtedly a first-ballot Hall of Famer. However, the last few years of his career haven’t served as the best example of what the guard was capable of.
Westbrook’s tenure with the Nuggets has been a particularly odd one. The guard was coming off a solid season with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he finished in seventh for the Sixth Man Of The Year award. In Denver, the 9-time All-Star found himself a position to play a very different role for the team.
Westbrook was called upon to start in 36 of the 75 games he played in for the Nuggets this season. Although these weren’t consecutive starts, the guard made an impact all the same.
Over the 36 games that Westbrook started in, the Nuggets enjoyed a winning record of 22-14. This is also inclusive of a stretch of 20 games starting from December 26th wherein the Nuggets guard made consecutive appearances as a starter and helped the team to a 13-7 record.
This stretch saw him record a solid average of 14.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. His best performance saw him return to familiar form as he recorded a triple-double of 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Brooklyn Nets.
Westbrook’s effectiveness in a starting role is hard to question in light of the numbers he has put up. The real issue currently lies in the internal state of the Nuggets.
The firing of head coach Michael Malone was laced with a lot of controversy involving Westbrook and the partiality shown to him. Malone’s support towards the guard wasn’t viewed favorably by some of the players on the roster. This caused a lot of friction, eventually resulted in him being fired.
The situation isn’t necessarily favorable to the Denver Nuggets. While there are concerns about internal chemistry with Russell Westbrook falling out of favor with the team, it is difficult to overlook the impact he could have on the floor.
Last season’s stats don’t necessarily favor Westbrook, as he recorded a measly average of 6.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Some discretion will be needed with how these stats are perceived, as he is in a very different system and has been rather productive for his team as well.
The Nuggets will have a lot of problems to deal with heading into the postseason. However, it would be in their best interest to address these matters quickly and begin preparations to face the fifth-seeded Clippers in the first round.
