Russell Westbrook Surprises Nuggets Head Coach Mike Malone, “Hard On Himself”

Russell Westbrook dialed in a performance from his glorious past yesterday as he helped pace the Denver Nuggets in a comeback victory over the surging OKC Thunder — the team, incidentally, where Westbrook played his best years and where he snagged the 2017 NBA MVP Award.

Scoring 29 points, Westbrook shot 10-of-15 from the field with six assists and six boards in the win, lightening the scoring load of 3x MVP Nikola Jokic, who needed to net only 23 for the W.

In praising Westbrook, who has been starting for the Nuggets while Jamal Murray is out, head coach Michael Malone also exposed his limited expectations of the 17 year veteran — limited expectations that Westbrook is evidently determined to prove wrong. Malone said he is surprised not just by Westbrook’s desire to tailor his game to fit the Nuggets’ needs, but also by his ability to do it. Some players, Malone recognizes, can’t change even if they want to. Leopards, spots.

Both Westbrook’s ability to adjust his ball-dominant game and his reputation as merely an average defensive player were big questions when Westbrook arrived. But Malone has been delightfully surprised, saying Westbrook has been a “rockstar” defensively since arriving in Denver.

The head coach added: “What I love about Russell Westbrook: 17-year vet, leopards don’t change their spots, but he is trying so hard to be disciplined. He’s trying to do the things we’re asking him to do, and I appreciate that so much. Because a lot of times at 17 years in, you are who you are. But he cares, man. He is so invested in this team and what he’s bringing to this team, and he’s so hard on himself. I can coach a guy like Russell Westbrook any day.”