The Denver Nuggets scraped by the Brooklyn Nets 144-139 in OT to pick up their second win of the season. Nikola Jokic was the Nuggets’ primary option throughout the night as he put up a monster triple-double, but he highlighted the efforts of Russell Westbrook for his first 20-point performance as a Nugget in his post-game interview.
“Russ was really amazing, in the third or fourth quarter, I don’t know, he kept us in the game. He was pushing the pace, made a couple of shots, he was really good today. We shared the ball, found the open guys, and that’s how we scored a lot… He’s (Westbrook) always talking in the huddles, he’s always lifting the guys up, and always pushing the guys, so he’s a really good teammate and it’s good to have him on our team.”
Jokic started the interview by sharing his thoughts on the win despite the team’s struggles, also pointing out the areas he was focusing on during the game.
“We were fighting. I still think we’re not playing at the level we’re supposed to play but we are finding a way to win the game, which is the most important thing right now.”
“Just play solid, be careful, try to score, and be aggressive, just take whatever the game gives me.”
https://twitter.com/AltitudeTV/status/1851453761245626755
Jokic put up 29 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists in a phenomenal performance which is adding further legitimacy to a potential fourth MVP charge this season. Russell Westbrook has had a rough start to the season but showed flashes of being the perfect bench point guard in this contest with 22 points and five assists on 5-12 shooting.
The Nuggets also had two other players in double-figures, as Aaron Gordon put up 24 points (8-11 FG) and five rebounds while Jamal Murray also added 24 points (8-19 FG).
This performance has improved Westbrook’s season averages to 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, as the Nuggets are now 2-2 this season after picking up this win over the Nets on a back-to-back, with yesterday’s win over the Toronto Raptors also going to OT.
The Nuggets Are In Trouble
Results are all that matters in basketball, so the fact the Nuggets won their last two games is a big positive. But as a franchise that’s hoping to contend for a title, I would be concerned if my team needed back-to-back OTs to beat two of the Eastern Conference’s worst teams heading into the season.
After losing to immediate rivals like the OKC Thunder and the LA Clippers, barely winning these two matches where they were heavy favorites is a major cause for concern.
Nikola Jokic is putting up superhuman performances to keep the Nuggets competitive, with the core of Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon far less consistent than what they had been over recent seasons.
Jokic is sensational enough to lead them to a good seed and contend for MVP, averaging 31.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 9.3 assists through four games. However, the team needs more consistency from the players around him to leverage his star power into a Playoff run.
If they don’t, the Nuggets championship window might just be shut.
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