Russell Westbrook got the last laugh over his former team, the LA Clippers, as he helped the Denver Nuggets beat them in Game 7.
The Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in an incredibly lopsided Game 7. The truth is that the two sides were hopelessly outmatched from tip-off.
James Harden had yet another abysmal elimination game performance, scoring just seven points. It was a disaster class from the former MVP.
One of the big keys for the Nuggets on the night was their bench scoring. Once again, Russell Westbrook stepped up off the bench to score 16 important points for them.
Russ is doing for the Nuggets what he never did for the Lakers and Clippers. And it appears he was motivated by the disrespect from his former team.
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Russell Westbrook spoke to the press after Game 7 against the Clippers. When talking about how the Clippers guarded him this series, Westbrook explained how it fueled him.
Westbrook noted that the Clippers guarded him quite loosely, and he punished them for it. Even Russ was impressed with the numbers he put up during the game.
“They believed that was their best bet of stopping me or taking me out of this series. But one thing that nobody knows is that I work my a** off.”
“Regardless of what anybody does, I’m always prepared. I will always be prepared for anything because I prepare myself. Like I said after Game 1, if they keep doing that, I’m gonna make them pay.”
“I don’t know what I shot for the series, somebody needs to tell me… 43%? D***. That’s solid. I guess that didn’t work out so well for them.”
Clearly, Westbrook was very happy with the way he responded to the way the Clippers seemingly dismissed him on the offensive end.
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Russell Westbrook wasn’t the only one who was surprised by the way the LA Clippers guarded him. Even Bill Simmons questioned why the Clippers left Westbrook open so much.
But with the second round coming, Westbrook will have to step up his game further. In fact, he gets a chance to return home, as the Nuggets play the OKC Thunder.
Shaquille O’Neal is backing the Nuggets in this series, partly due to Russell Westbrook. But he will need to play a big role coming off the bench for the Nuggets.
What many questioned as a dumb signing has turned out to be a blessing for the Nuggets. And Westbrook continues to reclaim his legacy in the NBA.
