Last night, the Indiana Pacers and the Sacramento Kings collided with hopes of snatching a much-needed win. 14th in the East, The Pacers managed to secure a win courtesy of Andrew Nembhard, despite a Russell Westbrook classic. Although victorious, the Pacers guard was clearly awestruck by Westbrook and acknowledged as much.
Advertisement
Ahead of the 2025-26 season, nobody expected Sacramento to compete for a championship. That said, nobody could’ve expected them to be this bad. After all, they have a worse record than the Utah Jazz.
Needless to say, Sacramento doesn’t have much to look forward to this season. However, Russell Westbrook has provided some light in the darkness. The 9-time All-Star has earned a spot as a starter and has shown glimpses of his former MVP self. His recent performance against the Pacers was a testament to it.
In typical Westbrook behavior, he battled until the final buzzer, finishing with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists on an impressive 62.5% shooting. Although he isn’t the same MVP-calibre player from his Oklahoma City Thunder days, he continues to inspire the next generation.
Following the game against the Pacers, Nembhard, who clearly was a fan of Westbrook growing up, excitedly talked about just how amazing the 9-time All-Star was.
“OKC was one of my favorite teams growing up, so definitely a fan of Russ,” Nembhard said during his post-game interview. “Love the competitive energy he brings to the game. Much respect to him.”
Unfortunately, Westbrook himself was far from happy after the Kings suffered yet another loss.
View this post on Instagram
It’s hard to believe that Westbrook nearly started the season without a team to call home. Now, the Kings can’t even imagine their roster without Russ. Kings head coach Doug Christie joined Nembhard in praising Westbrook for his play.
“Russ is a winner. That’s what he is. He has a winner’s spirit,” Christie said. “But he found a game and just continues to fight, whatever it is. That’s what I appreciate about him. He’s the ultimate competitor.”
Barring a miracle, it’s safe to say the Kings won’t be in playoff contention. Regardless, Westbrook will likely continue to bring high intensity every single day, which would help the team make life difficult for real contenders who might find themselves in a tight spot as the season progresses.
