Michael Malone Shares His Thoughts on Russell Westbrook….
The Denver Nuggets suffered a tough double-overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, and many are pointing fingers at Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook’s late-game decisions, including a critical foul in the final seconds, played a role in the Nuggets’ defeat.
After the game, head coach Michael Malone addressed the situation, describing Westbrook as “a guy that hates to lose” and a “perfectionist.”
While acknowledging the criticism directed at Westbrook, Malone defended his player.
“Knowing Russ the way I do, he’s probably going to put a lot of this on himself. But we lost tonight—the Denver Nuggets. Not just one player,” Malone stated, per DNVR Nuggets.
This loss stings for Denver, and it would be easy to single out Westbrook’s mistakes as the deciding factor.
However, Malone emphasized that the defeat was a team effort, not the fault of one individual.
Had the game not been so close, Westbrook’s errors wouldn’t have been as impactful.
Malone recognizes that multiple factors contributed to the loss and is standing by his player.
Despite the setback, the Nuggets remain the third seed in the Western Conference, with the Los Angeles Lakers close behind, making every game crucial.
So far this season, Westbrook has averaged 13.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 45.3% from the field.
Fans have generally been pleased with the nine-time All-Star’s performance, though they acknowledge his occasional mistakes.
Against the Timberwolves, Westbrook recorded 12 points, six rebounds, and seven assists—solid numbers—but most will only focus on his final moments in the game.
