Over the past week, Russell Westbrook has delivered performances reminiscent of his MVP days. As the Denver Nuggets player enjoys a much-needed resurgence in his career, Lou Williams hailed him as the “heart and soul” of the Colorado franchise. And Lou thinks Westbrook has given the Nuggets a mid-season push that fans expected Jamal Murray to provide.
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Russ, the 2017 MVP, has filled in gaps in the defensive effort and energy of the team, felt Williams.
“[Westbrook is] in the crowd, he’s getting everybody motivated, he’s getting the energy going, and that’s what this Denver Nuggets team needed. They needed a personality,” said the three-time Sixth Man of the Year on Run It Back.
Williams feels Murray is not someone who has the pedigree to be Denver’s leader.
“They needed a boost from somebody and they were unsure where they were, where they were going to get it from. They were looking for it in Jamal Murray. That’s not his personality, in steps Russell Westbrook with Russell Westbrook things. He’s beating his chest, arguing with everybody, challenging everything on a defensive end,” Williams added.
Russell Westbrook is the heart and soul of the Denver Nuggets
“They needed a boost from somebody. They were unsure where they were gonna get it from. They were looking for it in Jamal Murray; that’s not his personality. In steps Russell Westbrook.” – @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/OlDUKy0ixJ
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 13, 2025
Westbrook has made a significant impact on Michael Malone’s squad with both his on-court performances and other intangibles highlighted by Williams. Playing with the same grit as he did in his prime, Westbrook has averaged nearly 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists over the last four games.
During this impressive stretch, he has also showcased his remarkable chemistry with Nikola Jokic, complementing the reigning MVP’s style of play. Both players have spoken about their strong on-court connection, something analyst Chandler Parsons recognized too during the same episode.
Parsons lauds the Westbrook-Jokic duo
Parsons revealed his admiration for the Westbrook-Jokic duo by shedding light on an overlooked aspect of their games – recording triple-doubles.
“These guys are generational talents… These guys do it (record triple-doubles) in their sleep, so productive. It just shows you their versatility of literally scoring, passing, rebounding, anything and everything,” Parsons said.
The former Houston Rockets player then explained how entertaining the two polar opposite players were when paired together.
“It’s fun, too, because they couldn’t be more different, right? You have the slow, white, big man that plays at his own pace, and you have the absolute freak athlete in Russell Westbrook and Russ that does it in a completely different way,” Parsons concluded.
Westbrook’s return to the starting lineup appears to have had a positive impact on the team. Playing alongside Jokic has unlocked his full potential. He is now contributing at maximum productivity, elevating the team’s overall performance as well.
